Will we meet again?
by ninacostanzo
Summary: Elena falls pregnant. She must break up with Damon, move during her senior year and somewhat start over. Find out why, and where Elena's life leads her, will she get back with Damon? Will she reunite with her daughter? SEXUAL CONTENT and LANGUAGE
1. Chapter One

Hi Everyone, this is my first fan fiction. I am going to be writing a long story that follows Elena and other TVD characters. Feel free to write a review! Thankyou.

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><p><strong>-Chapter One-<strong>

**Heart Wrench**

**Nine months in the future**

**INT. DELIVERY ROOM-NIGHT**

My heart was beating profoundly; my thoughts racing a million miles an hour whilst the nurse yells again at me to "push".

"That's it Elena, you're nearly there, just push" the nurse said.

"Why don't you push?" I yelled back in an irritated fury. All I wanted was it to be over, I just wanted to be out of this hospital, I was so sick of lying in this hospital bed, covered in sweat. I felt another contraction take over my body and my body pushed as hard is it could, as hard as I could.

"Great work Elena, I can see the head. Just a few more pushes" said the nurse again.

My eyes squeezed shut and I felt my face turn red and with all my might I pushed. I took another deep breath and pushed again, my teeth and eyes clenched shut as the pain washed over me. I could feel the bright hospital lights shining into my tightly shut eyes.

"Your so close Elena, one more push and your done!" Mia the nurse said with a small amount of unhidden relief.

I kept my eyes closed and with everything I had I pushed, it felt as though I was using every nerve in my body. I pushed for what felt like 10 minutes and over my fast breathing and sweat-drenched face I heard the muffled cries of a newborn baby. I let out the last breath I felt I had and collapsed down into the pillows.

"It's a girl!" the nurse exclaims with sheer joy evident all over her face.

Her soft cries continued whist the nurse cut the umbilical cord, Mia then carefully carried her into the next room where she told me she was going to clean her.

As I lay in the hospital bed, sweat covering my body, another nurse came in and started patting my forehead with a cool wet cloth. After about 5 minutes of lying in the bed alone, Mia came back in holding the baby. She carefully deposited her into my arms, she was so still and quiet and as I looked down into her piercing blue eyes, a tear trickled down my cheek and landed on her blanket. I sat with her in my arms for ten minutes, looking down at her and deep down regretting my choice. Mia and another woman dressed in a black pants suit came back in to my room. Mia smiled at me and I knew I had to give her back. I gently placed a kiss on the top of her forehead and smiled at her, as another tear crept down my face, rolling off and hitting the bed sheets. Mia opened her arms and gently lifted her out of my arms and into her own. I immediately felt somewhat emptier. I would probably never see her again and as I lay in the bed tired and alone, my thoughts now over taking my mind, the other woman appeared next to me, documents in hand.

"Hi Elena, my name is Candice I am here with the Georgia adoption agency and I need you to sign these documents surrendering your child to the agency for adoption".

A million thoughts were running through my mind, but the biggest one was_, why now? Couldn't they give me a minute, at least 5 more minutes with my daughter? _But they didn't, instead they were making me sign these documents, while I was hot and sweaty.

I looked up at her, the pain was probably visible in my eyes but she placed the documents in front of me anyway. I took the pen from her and proceeded to sign on the dotted line. I didn't read what the two page document entailed, instead I just skimmed through it, having already been briefed on what the adoption agency wanted, what was expected and the rules and guidelines that I had to follow. Once I had signed every dotted line I was supposed to, I handed back the pen and documents to Candice and we bid farewell to one another. A wash of sadness washed over me as I saw the last traces of my daughter be taken away. Even if I was allowed to hold her one last time I don't think I could, seeing her tiny eyes looking up at me, made me feel somewhat guilty, but I knew my decision was for the best. Maybe one day we could reunite but right now, adoption is the only way she will have a happy life.

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><p><strong>7 hours later<strong>

I sat up in the hospital bed, trying to get comfortable, the blue sky and the sun shone through my window, slightly blinding me.

"Elena!" a voice called out from the door way.

"Aunt Jenner!" I exclaimed, a sigh of relief passing through me.

"Oh Elena, I am so sorry I couldn't get here any quicker, I couldn't get a flight, then when I got one it was of course delayed and then-"

"Aunt Jenner" I interrupted, "its fine, I'm just so happy to have you here with me now" I said embracing her warm body.

"Oh Elena of course I would be here, Ric is coming too, I just told him to give us a few minutes first, I hope that's ok?" Jenna said searching my face for an expression.

"Yeah, that's fine" I managed to choke out.

"So how are you feeling?" Jenner asked.

"I feel fine, it was definitely an experience I will remember," I said

"No Elena, I mean how are you with giving her up? I know we have talked a lot about it, but you don't really know what's like till you actually lose her!" said Jenner looking at me quizzically.

"Look it was hard, but giving her up is the best thing for her, she will have a great life with a family that truly loves and can truly take care of her" I said.

"She will be very happy, I know she will" Jenner said smiling at me.

"The nurses said that I can leave in the morning," I told Jenner.

"Well" said Jenner "why don't I pack your things and I'll tell Ric to book a hire car and we can get you home?"

"Yeah that sounds great" I said, finely happy that I could go home.

"I called Caroline and Bonnie, they told me they were sorry they couldn't be here, but you know finals being on, they couldn't really get out of it," said Jenner, placing some of my toiletries in my toiletry bag.

"Yeah that's fine, they called me before I went into labour. I have been studying and I just can't wait to graduate to be honest," I said. Honestly I was relieved, not just relieved that I was graduating high school, but that Jenner had stopped talking about the baby and that I could now finally get back to my life. In two weeks I would be sitting my finals and graduating, I wouldn't be graduating with the senior class of Mystic falls High School, but having a baby changed that. My final year of schooling was spent with my Aunt's husband Ric in his old house in Atlanta. I felt like I was in a safe house, being with Ric for the majority of the day was quite boring, but as Damon's mother said, "it was necessary for Damon". Being forty minutes from Aunt Jenner and Jeremy and my friends was hard, but once again 'it was necessary'. The majority of the day was spent studying and doing schoolwork, via correspondence from Mystic Falls High School. Hopefully I would get into college at Columbia University in New York City. Columbia is where my parents went and they took me there when we were on vacation in New York and I fell in love with the campus. Ever since then I had dreamed of going there and now if the three of us get in, Me, Bonnie and Caroline would be hopefully sharing a dorm and roaming New York City. After the first 3 months of being pregnant, I stopped going to school and started doing my work at home. The school thankfully let me sit exams after I had the baby and allowed me to still be able to graduate. Being pregnant in high school was definitely not what I had wanted, but it had happened and it was now over, although I had missed at lot of what happened in our senior year, I still had my best friends that I would see everyday after they finished school and still went to parties and had sleepovers on the weekend.

"Elena I am going to let you sleep and Ric and I will come back in the morning and pick you up and take you home, ok?" said Jenner placing a kiss on my cheek and bringing me into her embrace.

"Yeah, sounds good" I replied, linking my arms around her back and resting my head on her shoulder. Jenner and I detached when a nurse came in and pronounced that, "visiting time was over". Jenner smiled and waved at me as she exited the room and I was left with only my thoughts. As I lay down in the bed, my eyes drifted around the room and found the ceiling, just like my eyes had when I came home after my date with Damon, the last real date we had before we broke up. As I counted the lines above my head, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

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><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

The night was cold, my vision blurred, the soft pitter patter of rain trickled down onto the front and rear windows. My legs were slightly shacking from the cold outside air that seeped into the car. My mind started to think about how to tell him, about how I should break the news. The truth is I was stuck, but I was also afraid. Not only afraid of the future, but of how he may react. Suddenly I was taken away from my thoughts and landed back in reality.

"Hey, where is your head at beautiful?" he asked, placing a concerned hand on my slightly exposed thigh.

"What, oh nothing, I um" I stuttered, "I was just thinking about what a wonderful night I had, thank you again Damon, I love you". I said looking into his piercing exotic blue eyes.

"I love you too," he said staring at me for the briefest minute before turning his eyes back to the rode. As we drove over Wickery Bridge, an intense fog started to cover the car, making it difficult to see. Damon started to slow down and the car crawled to the other side of the bridge, both of his hands now on the steering wheel. Once we got to the other side of the bridge the fog cleared and we continued to drive the extra ten minutes give or take back into Mystic Falls. We quietly drove into my street and reached my house, the lights were illuminated as we came to a halt out the front. I reached for my purse and jacket in the backseat of the car, but Damon beat me to it. He grabbed the jacket and placed it in my lap with the purse on top.

"God, I don't want to let you go, are you sure you won't stay at my place, my mom won't mind you know!" said Damon.

"I'm sure, I really want to but Jenner has been a bit suspicious of the two of us lately, I caught her looking through my rubbish bin the other day, I think she was looking for a pregnancy test" I said slightly giggling at what I had just said.

"A pregnancy test!" Damon exclaimed, "Wow she is really getting suspicious".

"Well I think she is trying to be as protective as possible, its not like she is used to the whole parenting thing" I said blankly.

"Well then, I hope you dream about me," said Damon, grinning with his kilowatt smile. That smile is one of the main reasons I fell in love with him.

I laughed, emitting my white teeth, "I will definitely dream of you, I always do!" I said reaching over to Damon and cupping his face in my cold hands. My lips landed on his and our tongues slowly moulded together and danced a dance inside our mouths. I heard Damon moan against me, as his hands reached down to my thigh and started caressing my leg with his electrifying touch. His hands slowly started to venture up my thigh and over my skirt. His hand then left my skirt and brushed over my material covered pelvic bone. I shut my eyes from the sudden pleasure of the touch, although they quickly reopened when Damon's hand caressed my stomach. I flinched and pulled away; his contact on my abdomen became somewhat uncomfortable.

"Hey are you ok, what's wrong, did I hurt you?" Damon questioned, a concerned look taking over his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm sorry, I just should get going, Jenner is probably spying on us through a telescope at we speak" as I said it, I quickly spun around in my chair and looked through the window.

A laugh escaped Damon's lips and he kissed me gently and then pulled away, uttering three words "I love you".

I smiled and opened my door, exiting the car, before shutting the door I returned his words, put my coat on and walked up the stairs to the front door. After a few knocks Jenner answered and when I was safely inside I saw Damon's range rover drive away.

"How was your night?" Jenner asked, ushering me up the stairs and into my bedroom.

"It was great!" I returned, not really feeling in the mood for conversation.

"So, did Damon invite you to his house again? Or his he going to come climb through the window like last time?" said Jenner.

"He invited me over, but I declined the invitation and no he won't be coming through the window, I can't believe you even know about that!" I said quizzically looking at Jenner.

"Well he isn't exactly that stealthy, anyway have a goodnight, I'll let you get some sleep" Jenner replied.

"Goodnight Jenner" I said yawning and moving into my bathroom. After having a shower and washing my teeth I moved back into my bedroom, turned off the lights and got under the covers of my bed. After staring up at the ceiling for what seemed like hours, trying to come with ways I could break the news to him, I slowly drifted off into a deep slumber.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries, I am not that talented.

**-Chapter Two-**

**Just Like Yesterday **

**In the Future **

It had been four weeks since I had my daughter, apart of me wanted to stop saying "my daughter" but the other part of me couldn't. It was as if there was something inside of me that didn't want to forget her and saying that she wasn't my daughter, or ignoring what happened completely, would erase her forever. I finished my finals and completed my final year of High School. Caroline, Bonnie and I were all anxiously awaiting the letters in the mail to see whether or not we got in to Columbia. Those letters would not only dictate our future but it would map out our lives and where we would go from there.

"Elena!" Caroline shrieked, as she ran into my living room without knocking on the front door.

"Caroline, what is it?" I said startled.

"Elena, there here, the letters, the one's we have been waiting for our whole lives, they are finally here!" Caroline said excitedly. Bonnie came in running and puffing and stopped in the living room where we were all now stationed. Caroline handed me my envelope, both her and Bonnie already had there's in there hands; they were unopened, which meant the three of us would do it together.

"Ok" Caroline started to plan, "on the count of two we are going to read whether or not we are in or not, ok?"

"Deal" Bonnie said only seconds after Caroline.

"Deal" I said nodding my head at my two best friends. I looked down at the envelope, it was sealed shut and the Columbian crest was firmly intact. I stared down at it, hoping, no praying that my two best friends and I would get in.

"Ok" Caroline started.

"One" Bonnie quickly responded.

"Two" I shouted. My fingers started vigorously tearing apart the sealed part of the envelope until my fingers found the letter. I pulled it out and skimmed over the first few sentences. All I caught so far was _Dear Miss Elena Gilbert_ and then there, a few sentences down were the bolded words, **Congratulations, welcome to Columbia University**.

"I got in!" both Bonnie and Caroline said in unison.

"Me too" I said, with the biggest smile creeping onto my face. Bonnie, Caroline and I stood still for a few seconds before the three of us, launched into each other's arms, laughing and smiling and congratulating one another.

**-Line Break-**

**Present**

I woke up in the morning a sudden jolt of pain taking over my head and a swirling sensation in my stomach. I ran forward and into the bathroom as I then emptied the contents of last night's dinner into the toilet. Once I had finished eradicating the memory of last night's meal, I stood up and washed my mouth and face. I undressed slowly and turned on the taps, waiting for the water to adjust to my liking. I stepped in and felt the warm water rush over my body. The sudden feeling of rejuvenation somewhat cured my stomach-ache. I ran my hands through my hair and over my body, feeling the drops trickle down my legs and swirl down the drain. I was in the shower for about ten minutes before I exited and wrapped a dry towel around myself, it was warm and it hugged me tight enough to make me feel protected and safe. It felt like Damon's arms wrapping around me; Damon was the only person that I felt utterly safe with, he made me feel as though I had nothing to fear, because he was always there for me. After I had dried myself to my satisfaction I exited the bathroom and picked out today's outfit. It was a cool fall day and as the leaves fell around the base of the tree outside my window, I opted for jeans and a long sleeved shirt. I put on my knee high brown boots that I always wore and went downstairs. Jenner was in the kitchen making coffee and toast.

"Good morning Elena, how did you sleep?" Jenner said, whilst pouring three cups of coffee for herself, Jeremy and I.

"Very well, that sleep was much needed" I said, taking the coffee Jenner was offering. As I lifted the cup to my mouth, a sudden jolt of realisation washed over me, should I be drinking coffee? I wasn't sure on a lot of things about pregnancy, but I woke up extra early today so that I could tell Jenner. I had to tell Jenner, she had to know, I was positive that she would be very disappointed in me, but she is the one person in my life that will understand. "Jenner" I said interrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah, what is it?" she said.

"I have to tell you something, something really important and I know that you're going to be mad and disappointed in me, but I'm sorry Jenner, I'm so sorry, its just I don't know what to do, I don't know what-" I stammered, tears started falling down my cheeks and my face was going red. Jenner placed two arms around me and hugged me close to her chest, she looked into my teary eyes and whispered "I know darling, I know, its ok Elena, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere".

"What do you mean you know?" I said through sniffles. Her arms slowly started to unravel from around my body and she placed two hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye, "I found the test!" she said, "I found the test in your bin, I was empting it and there it was". Her words hit me in the stomach and another wave of water broke through my eyes and poured down my cheeks. Tears were hitting the floor and wetting Jenner's clothes, but she grabbed me and pulled me into her embrace anyway.

"I'm here Elena and I'm not going anywhere" were Jenner's last words before she brought me into the lounge room and sat me down on the couch. She wiped my tears away and replaced my coffee with tea and sat down next me.

"Now" Jenner started, "have you told Damon? Or anyone else for that matter?" "Like Caroline or Bonnie?"

"No, I haven't" I replied, "Jenner I don't know if I can tell him, he would be so upset, so angry!" I said my hands now starting to shake, which Jenner quickly cured by placing them in her own.

"I understand Elena, maybe before you tell Damon or anyone else, you should tell me what you are planning? Have you been to the doctor yet?" she inquired.

"No" I said flatly. "They said to come in when I was eight weeks, so I booked for then. Jenner I don't want to go alone" my eyes starting to well up again.

"Hey, Elena you are not going alone, I will go with you and I will go to any other appointment you need me to go to as well, ok?" Jenner said a smile creeping along her face.

"Thank you Jenner," I replied.

"So how far along are you?" Jenner started again

"Well the test said 3 weeks and that was last week, so I guess I'm now 4 weeks along" I said.

"Elena honey, I think you need to tell him at some point, do you really think it's a good thing to keep him in the dark, I mean he is the father?" Jenner said, whilst searching for an expression on my face.

"I need to think about it, I want to tell him, because I want to keep the baby, but I don't know how to tell him, you know?" I replied.

"How about you start by telling Bonnie and Caroline, they're your best friends and they will be great in this situation?" said Jenner.

"Yeah your right! I will," I said nodding. Jenner pulled me into her embrace once again, before standing up and returning our cups to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry Elena but I have to go to work, but I am so glad you told me and if there is anything you need just call and I will be right there!" said Jenner placing her hands on my face and kissing me on the head.

"Thank you" I replied, "I will". Before long I was alone in the house, Jenner was at work and Jeremy at school. I went upstairs and checked my phone for any messages from Damon, but there weren't any. I went through my contact list and called Bonnie, who agreed to meet me at the Grill with Caroline in half an hour. I didn't tell them why only that I had something important to tell them, Bonnie immediately asked if I was ok and agreed to meet.

I got to the Grill at the time we agreed on; Bonnie and Caroline were waiting at one of the tables outside. After receiving some puzzled looks from both of my best friends, I sat down and started to explain why I had asked them to meet me.

After ten minutes of me explaining my situation and everything that I knew about my pregnancy so far and another three minutes of Caroline and Bonnie just staring at me, looking concerned, Bonnie finally broke the silence. "Elena, I don't know whether to be happy or upset? Do you want this?" She asked.

"Bonnie, to tell you the truth I don't know how I feel, all I know is I want to keep the baby" I replied honestly.

"Have you told Damon yet?" Caroline began.

"No, just you two and Jenner" I said. "I don't know how to tell him, I found out three weeks ago and I have been hitting myself, trying to think of a way to tell him," I said. I looked at both of them shock written all over their faces. "Not literally hitting myself," I replied. A wave of relief washed over both of them and I looked down at my hands before saying "he is going to be mad, or disappointed and I don't want to disappoint him, he is going to New York next week, his father's company has scheduled meetings with clients in their New York office and he has to go. He said he is going to be away for over a month, maybe a bit more," I told them, worry now appearing on my face.

"Wait, you have known for four weeks and haven't told any of us?" said Caroline, seeming concerned.

"Look guys, it took me four weeks to come to terms with it and I just didn't know how to tell anyone. It's not something I can just blurt out!" I said.

"We understand Elena" said Bonnie.

"Ok lets talk Damon. Why don't you tell him sometime before he goes, when does he leave?" asked Caroline.

"On Monday" I answered

"Well that gives you three days, to plan what you are going to say and then say it" Bonnie started.

"Ok" Caroline interjected "well lets plan how you are going to say it".

"Ok" I nodded at my best friends, "lets start planning". After sitting at the grill for an hour with Caroline and Bonnie, planning how I would tell Damon, we got up and left and drove to my house. We walked up the front stairs and entered the house, Bonnie immediately ordered pizza for the three of us, whilst Caroline picked out a movie and I went upstairs to get changed into something comfortable. When I came back down the pizza had arrived and Caroline had paused the movie.

"Ok" Bonnie started "I've got pizza, do we want plates"

"Yes" Caroline and I replied in unison. I went and sat down on the couch with Caroline, who hugged me from the side.

"What to expecting when you're expecting?" I said blankly to Caroline

"Oh come on, it's great and so appropriate" Caroline replied. Both of us started laughing and we were then joined by Bonnie with the three different pizzas. I didn't know where I would be without Bonnie or Caroline, but it sure as hell would not be a good place.

**-Line Break-**

**Damon's POV**

'I can't wait to see you tonight' I texted Elena, whilst buttoning the last buttons on my white shirt. I pulled my tux over my shoulders and my phone dinged again. I read what the message entailed and smiled at Elena's words, 'I can't wait to see you too, but I can't wait even more to dance with you'. As I put my black tie around my next and checked the clock on my wall, I headed out the door of my bedroom, calling out for my mom. "Hey mom!" I called as I wove my way down the marble staircase that led to the foyer of the Salvatore Mansion as it was named. "Hey Larissa" I said to our maid, "have you seen my mother?"

"Oh Damon, don't you look lovely" she said in her thick Portuguese accent, "I saw her talking to Stefan in the study".

"Thank you," I said, before turning around and walking down the stairs to the study. I knocked and was greeted with my brother's smile and similar looking tuxedo. "Hey Stef, will I be seeing you there or?" I asked my brother.

"Yeah I'll see you there, bye mom!" Stefan said before exiting the study and heading out the door.

"Bye darling" my mother shouted back, "well don't you look dapper?" my mother asked, smiling and leading me to the full length mirror that stood against the wall.

"Why aren't you dressed?" I asked her, while she started tying my tie.

"Sweetheart I just explained to your brother that I won't be going, your father is at the New York office and you know these founders events are about dancing which you have to have a partner for" she said as she looped the final knot and then smiling at the good job she had done.

"Mom, we can dance together, you know that right?" I told her, looking into the eyes of a woman who clearly missed her husband.

"Honey you go and have a wonderful time with the beautiful Elena and I will see you when you get home tonight, which hopefully won't be too late? Said my mother

"It won't mom," I said before kissing her on the cheek and walking to the study door.

"When Stefan finishes high school and we move to New York to be with your father, we can go to all the balls there and trust me Damon the balls in New York are amazing. Damon, you have the whole world ahead of you, your career with your father is going to be so great for you" she started. "Damon I know that you being the first born has certain expectations in this family, but it is so great that as soon as you finished school you went to university and interned with your father".

I smiled at her, "yes mom, the family dynasty did have a great deal of perks and did make the entire class evidently jealous" I said.

"Yes it did! But Damon no matter what your father or anybody else says, you deserve this, you deserve to be the CEO of Salvatore Inc. when your father passes it onto you, Damon you are going to be so successful and you deserve every bit of it!" My mother said kissing my head and pulling me into her embrace.

"I love you mom," I said pulling away and reaching for the door handle, "but I have to go, Elena is waiting and I don't want to be late". I opened the door and walked out of the study and then out the front door and drove to Elena's. I arrived at Elena's house five minutes early; I could see her silhouette illuminating her bedroom. I locked the car and walked the few steps up to her front porch. It didn't take long for my knock to be answered. She was stunning, her long flowing brown hair curled down to her waist. Her black and silver dress shimmied around her beautifully portioned body. Her natural olive skin radiated the dress making it look even more beautiful on her delicate frame. I must have been staring for to long because her facial expression changed from her naturally beautiful smile to her then looking over her body and asking if she looked all right.

"Elena" I breathed out "you look extraordinary! That dress and that body, gosh I can't wait to take it off!" I stated thoroughly searching her body. She laughed emitting her pearl coloured teeth against her sun kissed skin.

"We should go!" she declared, "Aunt Jenner can't go she has some exam to study for and Jeremy already left".

I stepped forward so that our toes were touching, I grabbed her face; cupping it in my hands. I bent down to her level and put my lips to hers, both of our eyes shut and she breathed out and opened her mouth so I had better access. After a few minutes of our tongues interacting and our lips moulding together like clay, our breaths became heavier. My hands went to her waist and down to her behind. I lightly squeezed in order to emit a moan from her mouth, which turned into her grabbing at my tux pulling me even closer to her. Our lips continued to vigorously connect and fight for one another. I pulled her body so close to mine that the bulge in my pants was now against her leg. I wanted her, I wanted to rip off her dress, pick up her delicate body and take her up to her bedroom and make love to her. It had been about four weeks since Elena and I had slept together, four weeks since I was inside of her. All I wanted was her and I couldn't get my mind off of it, I couldn't get my mind off of her. That night almost a month ago, we went away for the weekend and stopped at a small B&B outside Charlotte. The rain was pouring and I carried her into the bedroom, it was the most magical night, when we woke in the morning I couldn't keep my hands off of her but ever since then I felt as though Elena had become more distant. She didn't feel like the woman that I was with that night at the B&B.

"Damon, we can't," she stammered, obviously finding it hard to resist.

"I know, but I want you! It's been so long," I stated, hoping my demand would make her give in, or somewhat entice her.

"Damon, we have to go and I'm not asking! I'll let you dance with me as a consolation," she said whilst beaming with glee and leading me out the door.

"Alright but I'm expecting an amazing dance" I said before unlocking the car door and opening the passenger side for her. When we were both in the car, I drove the distance to the Lockwood Mansion and pulled up as close as I could get. Elena got out of the car and waited until I had climbed out and locked the car. I grabbed her hand and enveloped it in mine. We walked up the front stairs; people were entering and exiting, holding glasses of Champagne, women dressed in long flowing dresses and men in black tie. I led Elena through the front door and into the mass of people, on our way over to the bar, Elena was stopped by Caroline and Bonnie in similar style dresses although different colours. "I'll get us drinks," I said before kissing Elena's hand and releasing it and making my way to the bar. I ordered a shot of bourbon and a glass of champagne for Elena; my brother placed his familiar hand on my back and greeted me.

"Hey Damon" my brother started "how's your evening?"

"It's going pretty well Stef, how about yours? Is Caroline a good date?" I said after grabbing the bourbon from the bartender and sculling it. Stefan gave me a suspicious look and then ordered one for himself.

"You and Elena seem to be doing very well, does that mean that when we move to New York she will be living with us? Or are you going to get your own place?" said Stefan.

"Probably the latter little bro, I don't think mom particularly wants Elena in the house with us" I said truthfully.

"I see" Stefan said before turning around and heading for the three girls. I turned around to face the group Stefan had joined; Elena's smile radiating from across the room. She tilted her head to the side and our eyes met, she smiled a delicate smile, excused herself and walked slowly towards me. I handed her, her drink, which she gratefully accepted. Her lips met the glass and she took a long sip. We stood at the bar for roughly ten minutes, deep in conversation about New York and what we would do when we got there. The music changed to a slow dance song and as other couples began to waltz around the ballroom, I offered Elena my hand, which she immediately took; obviously sticking to our deal. I glanced at her eyes before swiftly taking her in amongst the other couples that included Caroline and my brother and Elena's brother and Bonnie. The two of us danced, my hand never leaving Elena's waist and the other tightly interlocked with hers. For three songs we never parted, our eyes never left each other's and our bodies never disconnected. I whispered in her ear how beautiful she looked; it was received with a radiating brightness in her cheeks. As the song slowly came to an end and was replaced by a faster song, I led Elena off the dance floor and out the front door.

"Where are we going?" she asked, as I led her to my car. I opened the passenger side for her, waiting until she had climbed in before going to my side and starting the engine. I reversed down the quiet driveway and turned into the main street.

"I am taking you to my place, because I want you" I said blankly.

"Well I guess I don't have much choice in the matter," she said smiling at me and grabbing one of my hands. She placed it in her lap and put her other hand to my forehead and started stroking my temple. She then lifted a stray hair from my eye and kissed my cheek. "If I were you Damon, I would drive a bit faster!" she spoke again and with that demand my right foot pressed down on the accelerator and we drove the twenty minutes back to my house. When I pulled up in the driveway only one light upstairs was on, it was my parent's bedroom light and knowing that she was still awake made me aware to not make as much noise. I once again opened Elena's door and grabbed her hand, I locked the car and then unlocked the front door. I ushered Elena in, closing the door gently behind me. We walked up the old marble stairs and walked down the hallway on the first level to my bedroom. I opened the door for her and locked it once I was inside. Elena made her way to the bed whilst taking off her shoes and ridding herself of her gown. I lit a few candles that surrounded the room, whilst taking off my cufflinks and jacket. My shoes and socks were next to come off and as I discarded them onto the floor my hands found Elena's smooth skin. I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her silky lips. Fireworks, fireworks were the only way to describe what it felt like to kiss Elena Gilbert. An explosion of happiness, peace and tranquillity entered my mind. Elena's hands roamed my shirt, pulling it apart button by button, when she got to the last one, she threw it off me and it landed in the heap with the others. I started to unbuckle my belt and freed it from the loops of my pants. I lifted Elena's weightless body into my arms, her legs immediately linking around my waist. I turned around and placed her on the bed, her hands unzipping my zipper and unbuttoning my button. My pants became loose around my waist and with a swift movement, Elena guided them down my legs, before I stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. Elena's matching lingerie and my underwear were the only things stopping me from being inside her. I pulled her back into my arms, our mouths re-interacting and moulding together. Her arms held my neck in place as I backed against a wall. Placing her down one last time caused her to moan in protest. She bent down onto her knees and ever so slowly pulled my Calvin Klein underwear down my legs and onto the floor. Her seductive eyes looked up at me, searching for any protests on my part. When she realised I wasn't going to, she took my length in her hand and started working her hand up and down it. My eyes closed shut and my head rested against the wall in a state of pure bliss. Elena's hand movements became vigorous as I started to moan out her name. Her hand stopped and she placed her mouth around the head of my penis, before she started to swallow it, over and over again. Before long, Elena's skill and precision caused me to escape in her mouth, the action made her look up at me and smile before swallowing and licking her lips. I took her by the shoulders, where I lifted her into a standing position. She stiffened in my grasp as my hands guided down to her pelvic bone as I inched her underwear down her legs skilfully with one hand. Elena helped them down the rest of the way and threw them onto the floor. Enclosing my mouth in hers, I tasted myself on her tongue. The combination of alcohol mixed with me, turned Elena evidently on. Our mouths never left one another's, whilst I grasped her waist and pulled her up onto me using the wall for support. My hands stayed on her waist and her legs immediately came around my body. We kissed whilst I turned our bodies around, Elena's head now resting against the wall. With one hand I positioned myself at her entrance and inched my way into her. I stopped halfway when she moaned my name. I stayed still, halfway in her body, before she looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Stop teasing me Damon!" she said arching her body forward and trying to push herself down onto me, but I held her in place.

"Are you sure you want this?" I said trying to make her ask for it.

"Yes, I want you inside me Damon, please" she said, the desperation evident in her brown eyes. I couldn't hold on any longer and I pushed myself so hard into her that she screamed in what sounded like agony. I looked up at her and started to thrust, her body shivered and I took that as the opportunity to thrust into her again. After a few more slow and passionate thrusts I then began pumping into her, over and over again; this time more forcefully and trying to reach a goal. My hands lifted her up and down my length, my thrusts becoming even more powerful as her moans grew louder. One of her hands went above her head, holding onto a shelf above her, as the other hand rested tightly on my shoulder. As I continued to dive into her, she called out my name, in a satisfying and pleasuring way. I felt her climax coming as our mouths finally parted. I grabbed her material covered right breast and moulded it like play dough in my hands, as I thrust hard and fast into her. "Once more baby, once more please" and with that invitation I plunged into her one more time. "Ohhhhhh Damonnnn" she screamed my name as she tightened around me; I plunged into her once again, feeling my orgasm now over taking me. We were panting, but we weren't done. I pulled Elena from the wall her body still wrapped tightly around mine. I unclasped her bra and her perfectly sized breasts came free. I threw our bodies onto the bed, which made Elena twitch and moan underneath me. I grabbed her breast in my right hand and started messaging it. Her nipples were beautiful and brown and as my hands started tweaking them, they hardened. I took that opportunity to thrust into her again, whilst sucking on her left breast. "Damon, p…lease Damon" she stuttered

"What is it baby? Tell me want you want," I spoke, whilst swiping away a loose hair on her face.

"I need you to go faster, go faster Damon!" she pleaded, before I drove into her hard and fast. My hand came in-between our bodies, as I started touching her around her womanhood. She elicited many moans that made me cringe with excitement as I continued to thrust in and out of her. I felt her coming undone like a ribbon inside me and as I dove one last time into her, creating just the right amount of pressure on her g-spot; she came undone. Her body quivered and she shrieked with pleasure, whilst letting out a long moan and panting from the workout we had just completed.

My orgasm came seconds after hers, "E…le…na" I called before I collapsed onto her. We lay still, my limp body on her's; panting and breathing heavily. I looked down at her sweat-drenched body, her big brown eyes looking up into my blue ones. She was magnificent. She was beautiful and I didn't know how I would leave her for over a month. "God your beautiful" I told her, whilst kissing her lightly on the mouth.

She kissed me back and let out a soft breath, "that was amazing, Damon!" she stated, "almost as good as the B&B!" Her beautiful smile continued to shine beneath me as I lifted up my upper body to get off of her. I reached down and slowly retracted from her, her moan made me want to dive back into her, but we both too exhausted. I pulled out of her and rolled onto my side; staring down at her glistening body. The light from the candles was flickering and dancing all over her olive skin, as she lay staring up at the ceiling, breathing consistently in and out.

"Are you ok?" I asked, possibly sounding concerned.

"Yeah" she started, whilst rolling onto her side so that we were facing one another, "it just wore me out a bit" she confessed.

My arm started to caress her face, a face that I wouldn't see in over a month. I regretted having to go, but I had to, this night however, would never have happened if I hadn't been going to New York. I lifted my naked body up, so that I was leaning against the bed board, my movements made Elena's eyes wander over my chest in protest.

My head and upper body were leaning against the bed board, whilst my legs were sprawled out under the sheets. I took Elena's tired body in both my hands and lifted her into my body. We sat together, her body leaning against mine, both of us facing the door of my bedroom. I pulled up the silk sheet and placed it over Elena's beautiful body. We sat like that for hours, talking about the future we will have together. Elena's distant persona had somewhat evaporated as she kissed and nuzzled at my chest, trying to keep warm. My mouth in response nuzzled into her neck, and enveloped my arms around her body.

"I don't want you to go!" she sated repeatedly through the hour.

"I don't want to go either!" I said, my lips pressing against her head.

We stayed like this for an hour, talking about where in the world she wanted to go, where I wanted to go and reminiscing about the past.

After a while I felt Elena's tired body relax more into mine, her eyes were shut her breathing soft. She had drifted to sleep and before closing my eyes to join her in a slumber, I kissed the top of her head whispering, "I love you," before drifting off to sleep.


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries, I am not that talented.

* * *

><p><strong>-Chapter Three-<strong>

**Spilling Secrets**

**In the Future**

I grabbed another suitcase from the cupboard, whilst taking out essential clothes from my dresser. My large Louis Vuitton luggage bag, which was a going away present from Damon, now held my underwear, bra's, socks, swimmers, two coats, towel, skirts and dresses as well as my toiletry bags. My smaller Louis Vuitton luggage bag, which was a congratulatory present from Aunt Jenner, Jeremy, Caroline and Bonnie now held my good tops, jewellery, jeans, scarves, pants, shorts and pyjama's. With both my suitcases and my carryon packed, which held a book, magazine, laptop, IPod, camera and other essential items such as my wallet, neck pillow and phone, I was ready to bring it all down stairs.

I picked up the two suitcases and brought them down to the front door, then ran back upstairs to collect my travel documents and carryon bag. I took one last look at my bedroom, which I would immensely miss. I then sprayed one last squirt of perfume, putting on my watch and bracelet whilst closing the door behind me. I quickly walked down the steps and added my carryon to my two luggage bags.

"You know Elena, if you have forgotten anything just call me and I'll send it, or bring it up to you when Ric and I visit ok?" said Aunt Jenner.

"Thanks Jenner" I replied, "but I think I have everything". I walked into the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of water. Once I had sculled the water, I went over to Ric, whose eyes were evidently watery.

"I'm going to miss you so much kid!" he said smiling proudly.

"I'm going to miss you too Ric," I said moving into his warm embrace. Ric had been a father figure to Jeremy and I after our parent's died. He started dating Jenner, not long after my parents died and ever since he has felt like part of the family. 11After a few minutes of holding each other, Ric pulled away, telling me that Caroline and Bonnie would be here to pick me up any minute. I smiled at him and placed a kiss on his prickly cheek. We smiled at each other and I walked over to Jenner who was standing by the stairs, beamy proudly.

"Oh Elena, I am so proud of you, you have no idea how much. After everything you have been through, you truly deserve this!" said Jenner, placing a warm hand on my cheek and caressing it softly.

"Thank you Jenner!" I replied, before being enclosed in her embrace. After a couple of minutes of being held tightly in Jenner's arms we were interrupted by a car horn beeping twice, at the front of the house.

"Good luck Elena," said Jenner "the three of us will be visiting you in a couple of months."

"I look forward to it!" I said before walking over to Jeremy who held the front door open. "Wow Jeremy, you really want to get rid of me don't you?" I said as I walked out the front door, waving at Caroline and Bonnie, who had just exited the car and were walking up the path on my front lawn. I looked Jeremy up and down. Before my parent's died I had promised them that if anything ever happened to them, I would protect Jeremy with everything I had. Looking up at Jeremy, made me realise how much he had grown and how much closer we had gotten as siblings. "I'm going to miss you more than you can imagine Jer!" I said, whilst grabbing Jeremy and pulling him down so I could hug him.

"I love you Elena" Jeremy said smiling down at me and pulling out of my embrace.

"I love you too little brother," I said, a nickname the two of us had used since we were kids. Jeremy would constantly tease me about my height and call me nicknames like shorty and little sis; even though I was older than hi.

Bonnie and Caroline came through the front door, Jeremy and Bonnie were now saying goodbye in a way I did not wish to witness. Caroline was now hugging Alaric and Jenner, whilst I rolled my two suitcases to Mrs Forbes car. I smiled and hugged Caroline's mother and went back up the stairs to collect my carryon. The three of us started making our way to the car again. Before I got in the car I waved to the three of them, knowing how immensely I would miss them. I got in the back seat next to Bonnie, whilst Caroline went in the front next her mother. We drove to Atlanta airport, taking us roughly 40 minutes. After too much FM radio and bad music, the car pulled into the airport terminal. Bonnie and I got out of the back seat, unloading our bags and placing them on the footpath. Caroline and her mother got out of the car and said their goodbyes. Bonnie and I did the same with Mrs Forbes before waving and heading into the airport terminal with Caroline. The three of us took out our pre-booked boarding passes and stood in the short line to the front desk. We pulled our luggage bags around the queuing rope. Once Bonnie and Caroline's suitcases were put through bag drop, it was my turn to present my documents. Once doing so, I lifted my bags onto the conveyor belt and watched them be measured and put through to go under the plane. The woman at the desk gave me my printed document with our seat numbers on it and wished me a safe flight. "Thank you!" I replied, before exiting bag drop with Caroline and Bonnie. After the short line through customs, we made our way down the escalators and started walking down to our gate number. "How much longer till we board?" I asked my best friends.

Caroline was the first to answer "forty minutes" said Caroline checking her watch. "That's enough time for a coffee!" she added excitedly.

"Yes please" Bonnie and I chimed in, in unison. The three of us walked through the busy terminal and found a decent café. Bonnie and Caroline found a table whilst I ordered the three of us drinks. When I had ordered I returned to Bonnie and Caroline who were whispering about something and quietened when I arrived. "What are you guys whispering about?" I asked quizzically looking at both of their faces.

"Shhhhh" Caroline said pressing a finger to her mouth.

"What?" I asked in annoyance

"Look to your right" said Bonnie, pointing in the right corner. I slowly turned to my right and there in the corner were three guys talking amongst one another. They were all dressed in long jeans and short, tight fitting shirts that showed off their muscles.

"So who are they?" I asked, seeming totally disinterested; which I was. A waitress came and deposited our ordered drinks in front of us. Once she left Caroline started again.

"Well" said Caroline, "I don't know who they are, but for one, their hot and two, the one in the grey has been staring at you for a while!" said Caroline smiling at me.

Without even looking at him again, I looked at Caroline "Guys, I really appreciate this but I'm just not interested" I said whilst taking a sip of my coffee.

"Oh come on Elena, you haven't dated anybody since, he who shall not be named and this guy is not only hot but he looks interested" Caroline said again whilst also taking a sip of her coffee and looking over at the laughing men.

I looked at both my friends and smiled, "ok guys, first Damon isn't voldemort you can say his name without him coming and killing harry and second I love you both so much, for everything you have gotten me threw and all your attempts, but I don't think I am ever going to get over Damon, I mean I haven't been able to think of anything else except him since I left him!" I stated.

"Elena, Bonnie and I get it and yeah its awful that you had to leave and that Damon left and that he has a awful overbearing mother but you need to get back out there, it's the best way of getting over him" said Caroline sounding somewhat desperate.

I looked at her, smiling at her enthusiasm before once again looking to my right at the muscular man in the grey. He was laughing and talking to the other two when his eyes trailed over to mine and for a few seconds we were staring at each other. My cheeks flushed red and my lips formed a smile, his lips to formed a genuine smile. His head cocked to the side and Caroline tapped my foot under the table. I snapped my head back to my best friends, who were staring at me, whilst sipping their coffee. "Guys, instead of trying to fix my love life, which I am grateful for by the way, why don't you two go after one of those guys!" I said blankly.

Caroline and Bonnie both looked at each other and nodded before saying "you know what that sounds like a great idea except we are both seeing each other" they both said practically at the same time.

"The planes boarding" announced Bonnie, who then stood up; coffee in hand.

"Gate number 21, its just up there" Caroline chimed in, whilst pointing to terminal 19 that was right beside us. Three of us got out of our seats and pushed our chairs in, I threw my empty coffee cup into the bin next to us. The three of us walked out of the café, after I turned around one last time to look at the grey shirted man, he must have followed me with his eyes because he was staring at me when I turned around and then he once again smiled.

"Not interested ha!" said Caroline smugly. I looked at her with a half smile and laughed as the three of us walked down to our gate number.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

"Mmmmmm" I grumbled groggily, my eyes fluttering open like wings and my mouth eliciting a yawn. I moved my legs and arms, hearing the bones crack slightly due to the sudden jolt of life. "Damon?" I asked sitting up on the bed. My eyes started to fully wake up as I looked around the bedroom but Damon was know where to be found. My hands started to push the sheets off of my body, when fingers came into contact with something rough. I grabbed what my fingers were touching; it was a note folded into four, with my name sprawled across the front. I opened it carefully and noticed Damon's neat handwriting. If he was writing me a note, that meant he had already left and I was now alone in his house with only his mother. I looked at the note again and started to read it.

_My beautiful Elena, I am so sorry that you have awoken to find that I have already left. My father called last night, whilst we were both asleep, asking me to go to New York a day early (not that I believe it will make much difference). Last night, like every night with you was amazing and I know that you are probably angry with me for not waking you up so you could say goodbye. But, I wanted you to rest, so instead I will see you in a month's time. I am going to miss waking up to that beautiful face of yours but know that when we move to New York permanently we will see each other everyday. My father keeps asking me to fly to New York, so I can become better acquainted with his New York clients, which I am to represent next year. So I hope you know that all this work I have been doing lately will pay off in the long run. I love you so much baby, with all my heart and know that I will be there to give you the most mind-blowing night of your life when I get back._

_I love you, _

_Damon. xx _

I observed the note front and back and sat it down on the mantle piece. My lips formed a smile at the words 'I love you' and the two cute kisses that I wish were real. The smile then turned into a frown when I realised how much trouble I was in. Not only was Damon going to be pissed that I was pregnant; possibly break up with me, but I also had planned on telling him tomorrow and now he was gone. My day went from really great, to bad, to really bad! I tried to push my troubles to the back of my mind for now and decided that taking a warm shower might relax myself, at least for a bit. I went into the shower recess; being naked already I immediately immersed myself in the warm waterfall of water. Fog started to stain the glass doors and after a few minutes of cleaning myself in the shower, I turned the taps off. One of the best things about Damon's bedroom, beside the bed was the en suite bathroom. The smooth stonewall and the enormous bathtub were just a few of the perks. I dried myself with a fresh towel and stood in front of the bathroom mirror. I opened one of the draws under the sink and found some of my makeup that I kept at Damon's place. I applied a small amount of foundation and started to brush my slightly damp hair. I looked at the finished product and being happy with what I saw, I exited the bathroom and went over to Damon's draw. I opened the third draw, which too held some of my clothes. I fumbled around, opting for black skinny jeans, a shirt that I tucked into my pants and a scarf. I wrapped the scarf loosely around my neck. I suddenly realised that I didn't have any shoes except for the heels I wore last night, thinking they may not match the outfit; I went into Damon's walk in wardrobe looking around for any of my shoes. I smirked at the amount of suits, ties, jeans, pants and other items that Damon had; he had more clothes than me! I went to his shoe section and looked around at the walls, I looked through the assortment of shoes, Damon once again having more than me. I bent down to the last shelf and found at the back, a pair of black buckled boots. I sighed and took them out, placing them both on my feet, they stretched up to my calves. I fastened the buckle around both my ankles and got up off the floor. I picked up last nights dress and put it over my shoulder, before grabbing the other items that I had brought with me and opened the bedroom door. I took one last look at his perfectly assembled room, thinking this may be the last time I see it, and then shut the door behind me. I walked down the corridor before reaching the marble staircase. My hands felt their way down the smooth banister as I climbed two stairs at a time. When I got to the bottom I was greeted by a familiar face, "hello Elena" Damon's mother said.

"Oh hi, Mrs Salvatore," I replied "sorry if I disturbed you I was just leaving".

"Elena, come into my office a moment, would you? There is something I must ask you," she said, before ushering me into the maroon panelled study.

"What is it you wanted to ask me?" I said, playing with my hands due to my sudden nerves.

"You love my son don't you?" she started.

"Yes, very much so" I replied

"Well I found out something recently and I was wondering why you hadn't told him you were pregnant yet?" she said. Her words hit me with an unexpected amount of surprise. How did she know? There was no way on earth she could've figured it out just from looking at me. Oh no, I though, what if she had already told Damon, maybe that's why he left so abruptly this morning.

"Elena if you are going to tell your best friends that you're pregnant, you should probably do it in private. I just so happened to have parked my car opposite the grill and I was walking over to meet a friend when I heard Caroline's high pitched squeal and your voice then informing them of your," she searched for the right before coming up with "predicament" at the same time raising one of her eyebrows.

I cursed myself for being so stupid as to tell Caroline and Bonnie in an open space, I also cursed myself for telling Caroline whose voice was the one that gave me away. "You have known about this for two weeks and you haven't told your son!" I stated.

"Well Elena, the same can be said about you! You have known for how long now, three weeks?" she said guessing, "and you still haven't told your boyfriend?" whilst staring me coldly in the eye.

I shook my head in anger before I spoke again, "I'm almost five weeks along" I said quietly correcting her.

"You have known for five weeks? She roared, emphasis on the 'five weeks'. "I can't believe you have known for five weeks and haven't told Damon!" She said in disbelief.

"I was going to tell him today, but he left and he'll be away for a month and I don't want to tell him over the phone!" I said.

"Ok, well" she began but I quickly interrupted.

"I didn't know what to do, believe me I never wanted this, I tried so many times to tell him but I couldn't do it. The week I found out we were on holiday and I didn't want to ruin it. The second and third week he was away and I couldn't tell him over the phone. It took me this long, truthfully because I didn't want to disappoint him. I love him and I know that he has such an amazing future ahead of him and I don't want that to end because I am pregnant. He is going to be so mad at me and I can't live with the fact that Damon is mad at me," I said tears rolling down my cheeks and hitting the hard wood floors, much to Mrs Salvatore's horror I assumed. "I don't know what to do, I don't know what to say to him, because when I look at him, I know that he will be so disappointed and angry at me" I couldn't get out anything else because the water streaming down my face was muffling my words. I stood there crying in the Salvatore study, when her arms came around me. She hugged me close to her chest although it felt like a very distant embrace. It was more a hug out of pity and the worry that I was damaging part of her carpet.

"He won't be mad Elena and that's the problem," she said pulling out of the embrace. "I know he will stop working for his father to be there for you and the baby and I can't let that happen, I can't let you or this baby ruin his life and I won't!" She said as I whipped the tears from my face, looking at her in shook, for telling me that I was ruining his life, when it was I who was pregnant and not he.

"I am going to pay you to go away and never tell Damon," she said making her way over to her desk and pulling out a chequebook. She grabbed it and started writing words and numbers on it.

"No" I stated.

"You are going to disappear from Mystic falls whilst Damon is away or I will-" she stopped trying to find the right words once again. "Or" she started "you are going to find out what its like to be pregnant without a family" she said ripping the cheque from the pad.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I said getting angry, which was evident in my tone.

"Elena, I have had people disposed of before, people in this town killed before, to further the benefits of my family and you will be no different. I may not kill you, because that won't make you suffer, but I will kill either your brother Jeremy, your aunt Jenner or even her boyfriend Alaric. And if I were you Elena, I would take this cheque and leave, because you don't have much family left!" She said handing me the cheque.

I stared at the cheque for a few moments, before scrunching it in my hands and ripping it into tiny pieces, making sure they went on her carpet. I stared at her puzzled face once more and then headed for the door. I turned the handle and without looking her in the eye, I formed one last sentence "I will go, I won't do it for you, but I will do it for Damon and for my family!" I walked to the front door and opened it, before slamming it behind me for dramatic affect and also trying to let out some of my anger. I walked out of the driveway before realising I didn't have my car, which Damon had probably forgotten about as well. Deciding I needed the walk anyway, I walked down the Salvatore driveway until I got to the main street. Turning to the right, I started snaking my way past the other houses in Mystic falls that I had grown up amongst. I made my way down the rest of the autumn leaved covered streets until I got to my own. I only lived a rough ten minutes from Damon's and the walk had given me time to think. I reached my house and instead of going straight inside I sat in the driveway next to my post box, placing my head in my hands and crying whilst I thought over what Mrs Salvatore had said to me.

After fifteen minutes of sitting next to my post box on my front lawn, I got up and walked to my front door. I opened the unlocked door and walked inside, my feet taking me up the stairs and into my bedroom. Shutting the door behind me I dropped my dress and shoes on the ground and collapsed on my bed. I stared face up at the ceiling like I did most nights, until my head took over and my body transported me into a deep sleep.


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries, I am not that talented.

**-Chapter Four-**

**Lets Start Today, A New**

**In the future**

"Your boarding pass miss," asked one of the flight attendants looking at me. She took my boarding pass from my outstretched hand and read over the details on my boarding pass. "Seat 4a, is on your left, have a safe flight Miss Gilbert!" she said before then taking Caroline's ticket. Bonnie was already in her seat when I got there. I sat in the middle seat, shoving my bag underneath the seat in front of us.

"O-M-G" squealed Caroline, a little too loud in the already packed flight.

"What?" Said Bonnie

"Those guys are on our flight" Caroline spoke again.

"The hot ones?" I asked

"Yeah, they're two seats ahead of us!" said Caroline.

"I've got an idea" I spoke up, "how about you two go talk to them and I'll stay here and read the safety demonstration card!"

"No, no Elena" said Caroline "you are coming with us!" Caroline unlatched her seatbelt and just as she was about to get up one of the flight attendants told us we were about to take off. With that Caroline grumbled and re-attached her seatbelt as Bonnie and I giggled at her misfortune.

"That's fine" Said Caroline, "Don't worry guys, I will try and talk to them when we are in the air!"

Bonnie and I looked at each other and smiled, "Here, Caroline" I said passing her the safety demonstration card, "this will keep you busy till then!" Caroline unwillingly grabbed the safety demonstration card from my hand and began reading it, probably taking nothing in.

Throughout the duration of take off and when we were in the air, Caroline, Bonnie and I discussed what living in New York would be like. The three of us are renting an apartment on West 73rd street; it's a beautiful brownstone that is only forty minutes from school. We had already bought furniture and had it all moved in a few weeks ago, now it was only ourselves that needed moving in.

"Tea or coffee?" asked a flight attendant, who pushed a trolley with various beverages. The three of us declined any drinks but ordered a sandwich each. We had been in the air for over an hour and I was halfway threw _500 Days of _Summer and noticed Caroline staring at me in the corner of my eye, whilst

"What is it Caroline?" I asked not really expecting the answer to be interesting.

"Nothing, just watching Tom and Summer's amazing love story, or lack there of.

"Yes, Caroline, I know how much you don't like Summer and her unwillingness to love Tom," I said looking at her.

**"**Yes, your right Elena, I do not like Summer, but I um have to um," she continued to stutter, "go to the bathroom," she said before taking off her seatbelt and running down the isle to the bathroom.

"What was that?" I asked Bonnie, who was still eating her sandwich and watching _she's just not that into you._

"You didn't see that?" Bonnie replied.

"What, see what?" I asked whilst pausing Tom and Summer as they bicker about whether or not they are in love.

"She has been eye stalking one of the hot guys the entire flight, the one in the red, I can't believe you haven't notice!" Bonnie said smiling at me and giggling at the puzzled facial expression that has now taken over my face. I moved my body into Caroline's seat and looked down the isle. I caught a glimpse of Caroline and the man in the red talking to each other and laughing. Next to them was the man in the green, who as I watched Caroline and the guy in the red's conversation continue, the green guy was seeming more and more like a third wheel. I wasn't sure where the guy in the grey had gone, but seeing as Caroline was in his seat, I would say she waited for him to go to the bathroom and then went and stole his seat. Caroline caught my eye as she turned her head slightly to the side, I motioned my hand at her and she quickly turned her head back to the front and continued the conversation with red guy. I shimmied my body back into my seat and resumed _500 Days of Summer, _only to find Tom being broken hearted over Summer's new engagement to a stranger. As I continued to watch their love story or as Caroline always puts it 'lack there of', I realised that just like Summer, Damon isn't the only one. As Tom's days flew by rather slowly, the airhostess came to our seats to collect rubbish. The airhostess walked away after I had deposited Bonnie's, Caroline's and my own rubbish into the bin the airhostess was holding. I was just about to resume the last ten minutes of the movie when the seat next to me suddenly felt occupied. My eye caught a grey colour worn by an unknown somewhat muscular figure to my right. My head slowly turned to meet this unknown figure and I was greeted with a genuine smile, which I reciprocated. The grey man that I had been eyeballing at the airport café, replaced Caroline in her seat.

"Ah Hi!" I said, somewhat unsure of how to begin.

"Hi, I'm Matt" he said extending his hand.

"Elena" I said shaking it.

"So, if you're a little confused as to why I'm sitting here, your friend Caroline stole my seat and then told me to come talk to you" he said nodding his head slowly.

"Yes, that sounds like Caroline" I replied.

"Hey, I'm Matt" Matt said again stretching out a hand to Bonnie, who gladly took it and introduced herself. After the introductions were out of the way Bonnie resumed watching her movie and Matt and I got to know each other. "So your going to Columbia and your studying what?" asked Matt, intrigued.

"I'm majoring in criminal law," I said "and Caroline is doing the same thing".

"Oh that's interesting, the criminal law thing, I have a friend studying criminal law as well!" Matt said facing me.

"Yeah, it hopefully will be," I said "Bonnie is doing psychology" I said motioning my hand at Bonnie who seemed very interested in the movie.

"So Matt what are you studying?" I asked intrigued.

He laughed before he spoke, "funnily enough I'm doing corporate law, so we will all probably run into one another."

"Yes, I hope so" I said in reply, smiling at Matt as I said it.

"So why did you want to get into law?" Matt asked.

"My mother did law and it seemed interesting, so I pursued it" I replied truthfully.

"Yes, I'm the same, except my father practices criminal law, he would love you!" Matt said again. I smiled in response. We had been in the for two hours and Matt and I had been talking for roughly forty minutes about what we hoped to do in the future, where we had been and even lightly touched the surface about our exes. Damon didn't come up that much and if he did, I didn't talk about him for long. Despite Damon and I being together for over a year and it was a great love if ever there one, but even being with Matt for forty minutes, made me not want to talk about Damon, but instead talk about him and myself. Our bodies were no longer dramatically separated, we were close enough but far away. I had completely forgotten that Bonnie was even next to me, when I felt my eyes rise to his and my body move closer to him. Matt immediately did the same thing, I felt our lips touch and his hand grab the back of my head to hold me in place. Our mouths open and we began exploring one another's mouths. Our tongues moulded together and our breathing grew thick. It was amazing, this feeling of connection; a feeling that I thought only Damon could give me and although it wasn't as amazing as Damon's kiss what was still incredible. Our lips then broke away and we were staring at each other, me at his beautiful blue eyes and him at my brown ones. I whispered in his ear to 'take this somewhere more private,' which he gratefully accepted and before I registered he was leading me down the isle, past Caroline and red shirt whose mouths were devouring one another and into the vacant bathroom. Matt's fingers locked the door and then pulled his shirt over his head. Matt's body, not to my surprise was wonderfully sculptured. His muscles were strong looking and his arms were a wonderful size. I must have been staring at his abs for too long, because his hands then started to unbutton my jeans, although jugging by his facial expression he was very flattered. As he guided my jeans down my legs, I started to unbutton the four buttons on my shirt. Once both of us had finished our tasks of unclothing one another; which may I add is quite time consuming, our mouths found one another's again and we continued to explore. Matt was standing in only his briefs and me in only my bra and panties. My hair had fallen and fell loosely at my waist. Despite the lack of room in the cubical, Matt and I made it work. His amazing hands came around my ass and helped to lift me up, whilst my hands studied his abs and chest. Our mouths continued to come together, until I felt the sexual desire grow thicker in the cramped space. Matt's hands unclasped my bra, whilst mine pulled my panties down my lower body. I was naked and I didn't seem to mind, even though I was in an aircraft bathroom with a total stranger, this encounter felt good, as did the kisses and touches Matt was expressing on my aching breasts. His hands stayed at my breasts whilst I helped his last remaining item of clothing down his lower body. Matt moaned as I grabbed his erection in my hand, whilst I lowered to my knees on the bathroom floor. I worked my hand up and down it, giving Matt instant obvious pleasure.

"Ohhhhh yeaaaahhhh" he groaned as I roughly grabbed his dick and shoved it into my mouth. Swallowing it over and over again, as Matt released his cum into my awaiting mouth. I released him from my grasp, which elicited another groan from Matt, although was quickly replaced by his desire to be inside me. Matt grabbed me by the shoulders, somewhat roughly and hoisted my up around his waist. We began kissing again, whist Matt's hands awkwardly went to my inner folds until I was wet enough for Matt to go in. As Matt thrust into me, I shyly moaned, which propelled Matt to go faster. Several thrusts latter Matt and I were gasping for limited air in the cubical. We got off one another and dressed quickly, Matt and I exchanged numbers once we were dressed and I decided I should probably leave first. I kissed Matt once more on the lips and unlocked the door, before exiting the cubical, passing Matt's two friends who looked at me and chuckled and I went swiftly down the isle and sat in my seat, between Bonnie and Caroline.

**-Line Break-**

**Present Day**

I poured myself a tea and placed two pieces of toast in the toaster. "Is one of those for me?" said Jeremy walking into the kitchen.

"Nope sorry, but there is some in the fridge if you wont to get it yourself!" I stated smiling at my wit.

"Fine whatever" he said before opening the fridge and pulling out the toast and some orange juice. I heard the toaster pop and outshot my breakfast. I grabbed the toast and started to butter it, whilst checking the time on the TV. "Jeremy" I said, not knowing how to start.

"Is the toaster ready?" he said whilst walking over to where I was standing and placing his toast in.

"Jeremy, I need to tell you something," I said, his face now searching mine for answers.

"What, what is it?" he asked.

"Jeremy, this is really hard for me to tell you, but I'm, I'm," I stuttered, unsure of whether to just blurt it out.

"Elena tell me, what is it?" he stated.

"Jeremy, I'm pregnant!" I blurted out. Not really wanting to tell him like this while we were making toast but it seemed like the quickest and easiest way. Jeremy was, besides Damon the last person that needed to know.

He looked at me; eyes wide and then he shut them, for only the briefest moment. He looked at me again, before asking, "is it Damon's?"

That was the last question I expected him to ask, "of course its Damon's Jer!" I said, making him probably feel like an idiot for asking.

"Well, I was wondering why you were eating more than usual!" he said again, trying to subtly recover.

"Jeremy there is something else, I haven't told Damon, I have only told you, Jenner, Bonnie and Caroline, so do not under any circumstances tell anybody else ok?"

"I won't Elena, I promise," he said pulling me into his embrace. Being pregnant not only got me sympathy but I was being hugged all the time.

After a few minutes, Jeremy and I parted, our connection suddenly becoming slightly awkward. "Good morning, you too" said Jenner coming down the steps and walking into the kitchen to join us.

"Good morning aunt Jenner," said Jeremy.

"Coffee" I said motioning toward the pot. Jenner nodded as she and Jeremy went and sat down at the kitchen table. I poured some coffee into a cup for Jenner and sat it down in front of her. She smiled at me and nodded as a thank you.

"So Elena, told me about the bun in the oven" said Jeremy, whilst looking to Jenner and then to me, smiling.

"Jeremy I didn't tell you that so you could say stuff like that," I said irritated. Jenner started laughing, whilst Jeremy got up, plate in hand and put it in the sink. "Well congratulations" said Jeremy, another attempt to mock me I thought. "I'm late for school, I'll see you when I get home mom!" he said before kissing me on the head and grabbing his bag that was sitting at the bottom of the stairs and walked out the door. Jenner laughed at me once again, before grabbing today's paper from the table and started reading the headlines.

I got up and washed the plates, before sitting back down next to Jenner.

"What time is the appointment?" Jenner asked taking away the sudden quiet that had formed in the room.

"Nine thirty" I said suddenly glancing at the clock. Nine thirty was in fifteen minutes. How had the time gone that quick?

"How convenient Elena, booking it on a school day" Jenner said glancing at me with a suspicious stare.

"It was the only one this week I could get with that doctor," I said truthfully.

"Alright, well I'll get my purse and the keys and meet you in the car in five, alright?" Jenner said before sculling her coffee.

"Ok" I replied before running up the stairs and into my bedroom. I got my bag and placed the two books I needed for school today in them and glanced at my self in the mirror, before grabbing a hair tie and pulling my hair up into a ponytail. When I got downstairs, Jenner was already in the car, I locked the front door behind me and walked to the front porch, down the stairs and got in the passengers side. "Lets go," I said and Jenner drove the 10 minutes into town and found a park outside the doctor's office. We both went in and as Jenner found a seat in the already busy waiting room, I told the receptionist I was here.

After waiting in the waiting room for around 5 minutes, my name was called. Both Jenner and I got up, the doctor smiling at us as she lead us down the long corridor to her generously sized office. "Hi Elena, my name is Fell, I am going to be your Doctor throughout your pregnancy, please take a seat," she said motioning her hand to a seat for Jenner and motioning the bed for me. I sat on the bed, letting my legs dangle from it.

"So Elena, I understand that you are eight weeks along?" said Dr Fell looking at her clipboard and then looking at me.

"Yeah that's right," I said nodding. She started to scribble stuff down on her clipboard, before asking the next question.

"Elena, when was the first day of your last menstrual cycle?" she said, not looking up from the clipboard.

Luckily I worked out and wrote it down the day I found out I was pregnant. "It was the August 29th," I said proudly.

"Ok and have you noticed any symptoms or problems since your last period? These symptoms can include morning sickness," she asked.

"No I haven't, everything has been pretty normal, it almost feels as if I'm not pregnant!" I said

"Yes that can be very normal" she said relaxing me. "Elena have you had any previous sexually transmitted diseases?" she asked.

"No!" I responded blankly, "No I haven't".

She looked down at the clipboard and asked if I had been pregnant before, I answered no honestly, whilst rocking my legs back and forth.

"Elena, do you smoke, drink alcohol or have used drugs during your pregnancy so far, or have done in the past that could impact on your pregnancy?"

"No!" I replied.

"Ok great" she responded, whilst writing down the results on the clipboard. After going through the options that I had about the pregnancy, asking me about my family history and Damon's, which I didn't know much about, she then told me she would be running some tests.

After completing all the tests in an hour, Dr Fell asked me to lie down and wait a few moments while she got the equipment ready for my first ultrasound. I smiled at Jenner, who had been excitedly waiting for the ultrasound all week.

Dr. Fell lifted up my top to expose my stomach. "This may be a bit cold!" stated Dr Fell, before squirting the blue gel onto my stomach. I flinched slightly as Dr Fell grabbed the transducer probe and rubbed it in circles on my stomach. The screen started to light up as Dr Fell started to move the tool around.

"Look Elena, this here" she said pointing at the area on the screen, "This is the head". Jenner smiled at me as I turned my head to fully see the screen. There where Dr Fell was pointing was the clear indication of a head, my baby's head.

"And here" Meredith began again pointing at a spot on the screen below the head, "that is the heart beat". I sighed, observing the miracle on the screen. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and looking at; the faint pitter-patter of a heart beat. The baby was small, about the size of raspberry. There was in some way the slight indentation of a hand and foot, but it wasn't clear enough. Jenner grabbed my hand as we stared at the heartbeat for five minutes. Dr Fell then turned off the monitor and the screen went black and my baby disappeared. She wiped my stomach, whilst I put my shirt back down. As I lifted up and twisted my body so that my legs were once again dangling from the bed, Dr Fell grabbed the clipboard once again. "So Elena, your baby is looking very healthy, so keep eating well and here are some foods and things that you need to stay away from. As you are eight weeks along, you will start to experience morning sickness, which is likely around the first trimester. I have determined the due date, which will be around Friday the 5th of June 2015. I have written down a list of prenatal vitamins that you can buy from the pharmacy in town," she said passing me a sheet of paper. She then gave me a rundown on any abnormal symptoms I may encounter and any discomforts I may have.

"Now Elena" she started again, "I would like to book your next appointment, to be in-" she started checking the calendar hanging on the wall. "Six weeks, you will be 15 weeks then" she said standing up and moving towards the door. Jenner scribbled down the date and time in her diary and the two of us got up from where we had been sitting for over an hour and walked to the door. "Elena if you have any questions or queries, don't hesitate to call, go down to the pharmacy to pick up the prenatal vitamins" she opened the door and Jenner and I walked out, "oh and Elena" she called after me, I turned around and heard her say "congratulations". Jenner and I walked out the doctor's office and into the car. Jenner drove me to pharmacy where we picked up some prenatal vitamins and then drove the five minutes to school. I arrived at the front gates; students were walking around talking and laughing.

"I love you Elena" Jenner said smiling at me and kissing me on the cheek.

"I love you too Jenner" I replied getting out of the car and walking into the grounds.


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

**-Chapter Five-**

**The Break Up Land**

**In the Future**

The warm autumn breeze swept through the busy New York City streets. The three of us had been in the city for two weeks and we were already in love with it. As leaves fell at our feet, the three of us ran into a small café near campus that had been the source of our coffee addiction. We had moved into our off campus home, on 73rd street. The three bedrooms and two-bathroom apartment were perfect for the three of us. There was enough space for friends to come over and enough time to be in the bathroom; without being harassed.

"So" said Caroline taking a sip of her coffee, "how is Matt going? Are the two of you getting more serious?"

"Well we're going out tomorrow night to that party on the west side" I answered.

"Ohhhhhh the one on the 80th street? Because we are invited to that as well" said Caroline.

"Are you taking your new friend Tyler?" I said emphasising the word friend.

"Oh Elena, he's not just my friend anymore!" Caroline giggled, also emphasising the word friend.

"What!" Bonnie exclaimed, "since when?"

"Last night he asked me if we wanted to become more exclusive and we talked and he asked me to be his girlfriend," she said, happily. After ordering another coffee each, Bonnie, Caroline and I continued to laugh and talk about the men in our life.

"So, how are you and Matt going, Elena?" Bonnie asked.

"Pretty well, we have been on quite a few dates and we have talked a bit about the future," I answered.

"Wow marriage already, Elena!" Exclaimed Caroline.

"No, not marriage silly" I said rolling my eyes at Caroline, "about life after school, as in jobs and where we would go after college."

"Elena, I hope you told him that we are opening our own law firm, I can't have you two running off and starting your own. Elena we promised each other at ten years of age we would do it and you can't go back on that promise, just because your new sex buddy is talking about the future," said Caroline.

"Caroline, don't worry, I am not going back on the promise, believe me," I responded. After eating and drinking at our new favourite café, whilst talking and reminiscing about the past, we left the café and walked back to our apartment. It was already seven o'clock when we got back to our apartment and realised Matt would be at our house in an hour to pick me up. I headed in first for a shower and as Bonnie wasn't coming, Caroline could use the other. After picking out a tight black, sleeve off shoulder dress, which went just to my thigh. I though Matt might like it and it at least allowed movement to dance. I put on a pair of black pumps and a gold bangle and matching earrings. I put some light foundation on and did a smokey eye and then decided on a bright red lipstick, which would be bold against the jet-black dress. My hair dangled to my waist, flowing naturally. I grabbed my already packed clutch and left my bedroom. I glanced at my watch and realised Matt would definitely be here any minute. Caroline was ready and sitting down with Tyler on the couch in the living room.

"Hey hottie!" said Caroline.

"Not, so hot yourself!" I replied, flattered by Caroline's remark. "Hey Tyler! How are you going?" I said trying to stop Tyler from staring at my legs.

"Um, yeah, hey Elena, I'm very well thanks and you?" he replied trying to gather his words.

"I to are well" I said awkwardly. Caroline's stare broke the sudden silence, "so Matt didn't come with you?" I asked.

"No, he texted me to say he's nearly here, he got stuck at school," replied Tyler.

Caroline took the opportunity to open a bottle of wine, which she poured a glass for Tyler and herself, after I had refused a glass. A knock at the door, interrupted our engrossing conversation of our Law class. I went and opened it and was greeted by Matt's amazing blonde hair that he had pushed back and his tight fitting top and long pants. It seemed very Damon, it made me feel somewhat sentimental and nostalgic for all the amazing dates that we had. I motioned Matt to come in, which he instead turned into a long welcoming kiss. Caroline's cough interrupted us and we pulled away. Matt's hands stayed around my waist keeping me warm, whilst he commented on my appearance.

By 11 o'clock we had left the party due to Caroline and I's early class. Matt and I danced and talked and made out throughout the night; immensely enjoying ourselves. Caroline and I were a bit late waking up so we opted for a taxi to get us to school on time. Once arriving in the class just on time, we found our seats. Our professor entered the classroom, following him was a dark haired man in a tight fitting suite. He placed his bag on the floor, as the professor introduced the class to the stranger. My eyes widened as my eyes adjusted to someone familiar. I couldn't see his face clearly enough, but after the professor had introduced him to the class, I realised that this man was not who I had thought he was. The striking resemblance to Damon was outstanding, but it must have been my mind wanting it to be him. For the rest of the class I sat and stared at this man that I desperately wanted to be someone else.

**-Line Break-**

**Present Day**

Being nine weeks pregnant wasn't the most pleasant state in the world. There was the wonderfulness of morning sickness, the slight weight gain; making my jeans slightly hard to fit into. I had woken up this morning at 8am, emptying last night's dinner into the toilet. After washing my mouth and then my body in the shower, I hoped out and got changed for the day. After going downstairs and making a pot of coffee, Jenner joined me at the kitchen bench. I had told Jenner last night about what Mrs Salvatore had said. Jenner's immediate reaction was to call the police, but after telling her to calm down and think rationally I finally got Jenner to agree to something. Jenner and I agreed that I would move to Atlanta where Ric owned a house; which was thankfully unoccupied. Luckily the house was only forty minutes from Mystic falls, so it would be easy to commute. Jenner said the best thing to do was for her to stay with Jeremy and Ric would live with me. Today was going to be a hard day, I was not only moving tomorrow but yesterday Damon got back and today I had to breakup with him. I had cried myself to sleep last night and all the nights this week and last; not wanting to leave the man that I love. There were so many parts of me that wanted to stay and live with Damon and raise our child together. I was dressed and ready to see Damon, so I drove to the Salvatore mansion and parked in the driveway. I walked up the front stairs and knocked on the large doors. I rolled my eyes in my mind at who had greeted me at the door. Her blue eyes were nothing like Damon's, hers were cold and icy and were full of hurt and anger. Damon had kind eyes, his were full of hope and prosperity and I loved them. Mrs Salvatore asked my purpose for my visit and after stating my intentions, she ushered me into the study. Once in the room, I realised that this room probably knew all the Salvatore secrets. She didn't ask me to sit down, instead I stood at her desk as she waited for me to speak.

"I have to tell him that I'm leaving," I spoke up.

"Yes well I have already thought about that and I know what you can say to him!" She stated.

"I can't believe you are doing this, this will hurt him, we have been together over a year and I am suddenly leaving, to do what?" I said.

"You are leaving to do one of these" she said irritated whilst passing me a slip of paper with words scribbled across it. I stared at her in bemusement, unable to fathom what this woman's idea of letting someone go was. "One, Leave without telling Damon," Mrs Salvatore began reciting the slip, as I read along. "Two, tell him you are moving schools, three, don't tell him anything and just leave, oh wait, I already said that one, four, make it up yourself and five, tell him you want a change of scenery."

"Are you joking, this is your son we are talking about and you want me to give him one of these terrible and hurtful excuses?" I said.

"WELL MAKE ONE UP ON YOUR OWN THEN!" she shouted. I was taken aback by her sudden abrupt screeching.

"Fine, I will" I said rather calmly, before passing her the slip of paper and turning on my heel to leave. As I got the door, I turned around to face her one last time, "I am leaving tomorrow, but I am not leaving for you I am leaving for me." I turned the door handle and pushed open the door, before exiting and walking up the stairs to Damon's bedroom. I hoped in someway that Damon was here, although I also hoped he wasn't so that I didn't have to re-enact one of Mrs. Salvatore's ridiculous excuses. I went up the stairs to Damon's bedroom and found myself at his door, I knocked twice and was greeted by his sudden presence from behind me.

"Elena, what are you doing here?" he asked whilst pulling me into his embrace and smiling down at me.

"I need to tell you something" I replied, but before I could tell him what it was, Damon's mouth came crashing down on mine. His soft lips, enveloped mine and we stood in each other's arms, kissing for a few brief minutes before I abruptly pulled away. "Damon, I need to tell you something" I said a few stray tears already escaping my eyes.

"Hey, what is it babe? What's the matter?" he said whipping away the tears with his thumb and then ushering me into his bedroom.

"Damon, this maybe hard for you to understand and I know what I am about to say is quite odd, but it's want I want," I lied, only doing so to make it easier for him and me. Damon's eyes stared at me intently as I stood close to the door, in case I had to run. "Damon, there is much I can't tell you about what it is I am doing, but I am leaving tomorrow, for Atlanta. I know that it is short notice and I know you probably think I am an awful person, which I am, but I have to do this."

Damon's eyes searched the room, looking hurt and taken aback by my sudden confession. "Elena what are you talking about, why are you going to Atlanta? If this has anything to do with me being away all of the time, I told you that we would move to New York permanently once you started college."

"I know Damon, I know, but an offer has come up in Atlanta and Ric has a house there and I feel it would be a good fit for now" I said. "Look Damon, the two of us have somewhat drifted apart and I can't keep it up, I mean you are never here and I don't know who you are when you are."

"What are you talking about, yes ok I have been away quite a lot, but what are you talking about me not being me when I am here?" Damon said slightly wounded.

"I know something is up with you, when you're here you aren't really here. The last time you were here you seemed so distant, you hardly spoke to me and after the trip we took, and the two of us have hardly been intimate. I don't know if I have done something wrong, or if you have lost interest, but you just seem different," I said fishing for more things that I could accuse Damon of.

"Elena what the fuck are you talking about? When did you start to feel like this? I love you and I have always loved you! Yes I have done things in the past that I regret but I would never hurt you or fall out of love with you. Please Elena don't leave, I am pretty sure I know what it is you are referring to and I will never do it again, please just stay!" said Damon, evidently tearing up.

"I can't stay Damon, I don't want to live anywhere near here and I especially do not wish to hear anymore excuses, I have made up my mind Damon, I am going tomorrow to start a fresh life in Atlanta. I don't want you to come visit me or try to get in contact!" and with those words I knew it was time for me to go. I rummaged through my bag to find the letter I had written for Damon last night. It had taken me ages and many scrunched up pieces later to write the final letter that was in my hands at this moment. I placed the letter on the drawers that were near the door and then exited Damon's bedroom for the last time. I made my way down the stairs whilst I tried to control the tears that were now streaming down my face. I ran to the front door, before opening it and making my way to the car. As I drove down the pebbled driveway, I looked in the review mirror at the Salvatore mansion; the sudden guilt and sadness over taking me as I drove back to my house.

**Damon's POV **

**New York**

I was sweaty and sore after my run through central park this morning. I had been in New York two weeks and I couldn't wait to live here permanently with Elena. The two of us had already decided on where to live; 15 Central Park West. An amazing view and incredible architecture to boast. As today was a Sunday I had a break from my usual work and client meetings. I though today was the best day to go to the real estate agent and settle on one of the apartments for when I moved to New York in a few weeks. As I walked the busy New York streets down 7th avenue, my mind went from one idea to the next. I thought about Elena's distant behaviour and whom she had cheated on me with. I wondered who on earth it could have been when my mind went to the most likely person. My brother had been very distant with me as well and I knew that he

Once in the door, I was greeted by the receptionist who then showed me where to go from there. I went into the realtor's office and began explaining what I was looking for. Three hours later, I had the keys to the apartment Elena and I had dreamed of. I walked back to my hotel on Park Avenue, the doorman holding the large steel glass doors open. "Welcome back to the Waldorf Astoria" pronounced the doorman, as I entered.

"Glad to be back," I replied walking over to the elevator and stepping in. I pressed level 32 and waited until the elevator dinged at my stop. Getting out and retiring to my room, I fell asleep in my current clothes; exhausted from all the thinking that I had been doing.

When I woke up the next morning, I showered and ordered breakfast. Being a Monday, I walked to my office located on 5th Avenue. Going up the elevator to top level of Salvatore Inc. I was greeted in the hallway by the secretaries and staff as I walked through to my office.

"Good morning Mr Salvatore!" my secretary said before opening the glass door to my office.

"Good morning Andie, do you have my paper?" I said in reply.

"Yes Mr Salvatore and here is your coffee" she said passing me my espresso. 

"Thank you" I said, before hearing Andie close the door behind her and leaving to reside at her desk. Once the clock stuck six, I left the office and made my way to the King Cole bar in the St. Regis hotel, where I was meeting some friends from Yale. When I arrived at the St. Regis, I was greeted by four of my friends. Tom, James, Luke and David were waiting for me at the bar. They had all ordered glasses of bourbon and scotch for themselves and once I had settled in and started conversing with my friends, the scotch was then being ordered for me. I had started a conversation with Luke about his work and his new girlfriend Amie who was a model; much to Luke's satisfaction. My four friends began asking me about the company and my plans to take over from my father when the conversation of women came up again.

"So Damon" began Tom, "how is your girlfriend going? What was her name again? Katherine, Jessica" he began listing.

"Its Elena, Tom" I corrected him "and yes she's very well I think. I am away from her for four weeks and I'm not sure what she will get up to in my absence" I said.

Tom, Luke and David began to laugh, when James spoke up, "Damon, isn't she the one still in high school?" he asked.

"Yes, that's the one!" I said rolling my eyes in my mind. Of course they wouldn't approve, they were all probably settling down for marriage and me being with an eighteen year old was somewhat of a controversy.

"I think younger women are much better" exclaimed David, trying but failing to lighten the mood.

"She's amazing, but I can't help thinking that we are growing somewhat apart!" I said looking for their opinions.

"Why do you say that?" asked Tom.

"Well after our road trip to Charlotte, Elena and I seemed to disconnect, both physically and mentally and when I left for New York two weeks ago she didn't really seem to mind, in some way she seemed thankful," I replied to Tom's question.

"Maybe she's cheating on you," said Tom again.

"Maybe" I said, somewhat defeated. I sat at the bar in deep thought, whilst my friends laughed and talked about our Yale days. I was then poured another drink by the bar tender that motioned towards a woman sitting a few seats down, who I was to thank for the scotch. I nodded my head towards her, who replied with a bright, white teethed smile. My eyes didn't trail from the woman as she was someone I knew but hadn't seen in a while. I realised who it was, Katherine, a woman I had met when I was eighteen and had moved to college. She was the most beautiful woman at Yale; at least that's what the majority of the student body thought. We both were doing an MBA and sat next to each other in quite a lot of classes. As the night progressed, Katherine and I got reacquainted.

"So what have you been doing the past three years that we haven't seen each other? Why has been three years Damon? I've missed our bar crawls and hook-ups!" she said, somewhat lifting me out of a trance I was in.

"I'm working for my father's company and waiting until he hands over the CEO position. I don't know why we haven't seen each other, I mean where have you been for the past three years?" I replied.

"I work at a company in the city" she smiled before saying the next sentence, "at Michelson Consolidated."

"Ah the competition, nice," I laughed.

"Yeah" she replied shyly. "Damon, it's getting kind of late, do you mind walking me home?" she asked.

"Sure, lets get our of here!" I pronounced. My friends continued talking and drinking as the bar got fuller and fuller. I bid farewell to my friends and told them we would go out later this week. Luke nudged my arm and told me to "go get her," which I replied with a sarcastic eye roll. I lead Katherine out of the busy King Cole bar at 11 o'clock and walked up 5th avenue to Katherine's hotel; which was on 56th and Lexington. "You're staying at the aka?" I asked, sounding intrigued.

"Yes it's a wonderful hotel, I recommend it!" she stated happily.

"I've heard it's very modern," I replied, remembering an article I read about it in the times.

"I'm staying until my apartment is renovated. You know Damon I'm not going to invite you upstairs?" she stated adamantly.

"Yeah I don't think it will be a good idea," I replied smiling at her. There were so many aspects of Katherine that reminded me of Elena. Not only her physical appearance but her attitude as well. Katherine spoke more of herself than Elena did, although it did come off as Katherine being very interesting and confident. I remembered when Elena and I had first met; it was at her high school football game. Elena was shaking pom pom's around whilst I watched my brother tackle someone. It was Elena who my eyes could not move away from the entire game and if it weren't for her radiant smile as she kicked her leg up in the air at the end of the game, I would never have known if Stefan's team had won. Katherine and I exchanged new phone numbers, before her doorman ushered her into the building, she waved at me and thanked me for walking her home, before I turned around and walked back to the Waldorf. That night after ordering room service as a late night snack I thought about Katherine and how much I enjoyed her company. She was older than Elena and I had known her for a bit longer and more intimately as well. I thought about Elena whilst I ate the room service snack, I wasn't sure if meeting Katherine was something that I should share with Elena. It wasn't as if anything had happened between Katherine and I but I knew that if someone had seen us together that knew Elena, I would never recover from that. We were already on somewhat icy territory and I don't think throwing Katherine 'the spanner' into the works would really be a good idea. Instead I thought that leaving Elena in the dark about Katherine was the best idea for both me and Elena. Instead of thinking about Elena or Katherine for the rest of the night, I instead switched on the television and proceeded to watch _the break up plan_ the only decent movie that was on.

**Thankyou for reading and reviewing and please continue to give me feedback to know that I am going in the right direction. **


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

So I hope I'm not confusing everyone, but this is the last chapter that will go back and forth between the past and present. So basically Elena, Caroline and Bonnie being in college will be the present. Sorry to make it all confusing, but just ask if you need my help clearing it all up.

* * *

><p><strong>-Chapter six-<strong>

**He's Just Not That Into Me**

**In the Future**

"He asked you to move IN?" exclaimed Caroline, her loud squealing voice echoing throughout the coffee shop.

"OMG what did you say?" exclaimed Bonnie from my left.

"Ummmm she said yes to the very hot lacrosse player! She would be a fool not to Bonnie, plus I would love to move into the master bedroom," answered Caroline, before I had a chance to intersect. Bonnie and I looked at each other, excitement seeping out of their eyes.

"No, guys I said no!" I told my eagerly awaiting friends, whose eyes that were stuck on me, slowly left as my sentence was finished.

"Wait WHAT?" Caroline blurted out, the sheer happiness completely washing off of her face and the disappointment now taking over. "Why on earth did you say no? I mean do you know what your passing up? Elena sweetie do you have a concussion? You and Matt have been dating for like what, five months almost six and three months in you thought that it wouldn't last, but now, five or six months later he is asking you to move in and you are saying NO? Your saying NO, so please Elena, fill me in because I don't get it?" she asked completely perplexed.

"Caroline, I'm still in love with Damon!" I quickly answered; my heart racing quicker than usual after Caroline's monologue. The three of us sat at the café for ten minutes in utter silence. An awkward silence fell over the café and grew thicker as spoons clattered together, falling and hitting the saucers. I sat in the chair, staring at my cup of coffee, thinking about Damon and our first date. The moment I saw him, I knew that there was something about him that I wanted to know. There was something unfamiliar that drew him to me. I knew that deep down I wouldn't be the person I was now if it wasn't for Damon; because Damon made me strong and made me believe I could do anything. There was this incredible element about Damon that made you reconsider who you were, but made you a stronger person because of it. My mind continued to think about Damon; the person that I loved that I had to leave behind. The ten minutes turned into fifteen, when my thoughts were then interrupted by Caroline and Bonnie's hands reaching my arm and rubbing it up and down, while their lips met their cups, making a slurping sound.

"We know your still in love with Damon, Elena!" said Bonnie, smiling at me, her hand still continuously rubbing up and down my arm. Another few minutes of awkward silence fell over the café, although Caroline was quick to clear it up.

"You can tell us you know, you can tell us what feelings you are having about the break up and what feelings you are having towards Matt!" said Caroline, her hand also consistently rubbing up and down my arm.

"Guys, I like Matt a lot, I mean's he's amazing and he's kind and I love how I feel when I am with him. I love feeling like the whole world is a head of me and its so easy and clean." I paused unable to gather my thoughts on the other part of the equation. "But when I'm with Matt, there is a part of me that feels missing and that part is Damon. I mean, I know I broke up with him over a year and a half ago, but every fibre of my being just wants to be with him, because the moment that I left him, it was the moment that I lost apart of myself. And having the baby, it made me realise how alone I have felt. Being with Matt hasn't made it easier or better, he's just made the memory of loosing Damon and giving my baby away numb. Like I feel as though I am no longer me in some way, like I changed the moment that I gave her up and let him go!" I let out a breath once I had finished my soliloquy.

"You can talk to us, you know Elena? You can tell us about the baby and about Damon, because after you gave her up we never really talked about it," said Bonnie caringly.

"I didn't talk about it because it was another part of my life that I lost and talking about it made it even more real," I said shaking my head. The three of us ordered another coffee each and sat for ten more minutes before asking for the bill and leaving. As we walked slowly up Madison Avenue along the pedestrian filled pavement the three of us continued to talk about Damon and the other stupid decisions I had made in my life.

"Do you know where he is?" asked Caroline

"No, I haven't really kept track of him, after we broke up and all. I mean you guys told me that straight after we broke up, he moved to New York, I guess he's probably the new CEO of his father's company. Why, do you know where he is or something?"

"No, I have no clue where or what he is doing!" stated Bonnie, which Caroline quickly second.

"Hey Elena?" asked Bonnie.

"Yeah," I replied, suspicious of what she may ask.

"Do you think you will ever look for him again?"

"I don't know Bonnie, I really don't know what I am going to do about Damon, but seeing as we live in the same city, we will probably run into each other, some time or another," I answered truthfully.

"So are you going to move in with Matt or?" asked Caroline.

I laughed before answering the question, "sorry Caroline, but I don't think you're going to be getting the master bedroom anytime soon."

"Well good, because I don't want you leaving!" stated Bonnie, wrapping her arms around my shoulder.

"Yeah, so do I" said Caroline, whose arms joined Bonnie's, wrapping them around my shoulders.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

I was seven months pregnant and nine months over it. I was sick of the mood swings (which me and everyone around me was clearly aware of); I was sick of the weird cravings and sick of being in a house with Ric the only one to talk to. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciated Ric moving away from Jenner and Jeremy for a while to stay with me in Atlanta, but sometimes I longed for Jenner, or my brother and my two best friends to talk to. There was so much one could say about the Atlanta falcons and the NFL draws. Ric was probably 100% over me as well; I mean he was probably sick of all my craziness and the appointments that he had to take me to when Jenner couldn't get up to Atlanta. I was happy today though, because I would be receiving a visit from my two best friends; who I hadn't seen in over a month. The only contact I had with them was the early phone calls before they went to school. It was a weekend so Bonnie and Caroline would sleep over until Sunday and go back Sunday night. Today we planned to go out for brunch and then shop and then watch old classic movies whilst eating pizza and popcorn. It was one of our favourite things to do, sit on the couch, watch movies and talk about our future's together and boys. Very soon, we would be sitting our final exams, me a few weeks after I gave birth and then hopefully we would receive the much-anticipated letters in the mail that would seal our futures together. It came to eleven o'clock and a knock at the door, sprung me to my feet. I was greeted by two very familiar faces, Caroline and Bonnie stood at the door, beaming. I invited them in and got them settled in their rooms and met them back downstairs. Bonnie and Caroline's eyes never left my belly.

"What?" I questioned, wondering why they kept staring at me.

"Its just, wow you're so big!" exclaimed Caroline.

"Are you calling me fat?" I asked Caroline, a deadly serious tone in my voice.

"No Elena I didn't mean it like that, I just meant wow your" Caroline couldn't finish her sentence so Bonnie interjected.

"Pregnant" Bonnie practically blurted. "I think Caroline is trying to say that wow, you're about to have a baby! Only two more months!"

"I'm just joking Caroline and yes only two more months and I will be back to be able to wear my normal clothes!" I exclaimed.

"So shall we get going?" asked Bonnie, trying to steer the conversation away from the baby and the pregnancy in general.

"Lets, I'm starving" I exhaled. Ric had gone to see Jenner this weekend, which just left me and my two best friends. We headed out the door and got in the car they had driven here in. Bonnie drove us into the centre of town, where we found where we wanted to eat and got a table. Bonnie and I ordered waffles and Caroline ordered pancakes, although I did get most of Caroline's pancakes; due to my current state. "So what's it like in Mystic Falls at the moment?" I asked between mouthfuls.

"Well everyone is currently stressing about finals and prom and that's pretty much it!" stated Caroline who was enjoying her last pancake.

"I mean, what's Damon like?" I asked. It was the first time I had actually asked about Damon since we broke up. I didn't want to know what he was doing or who he was doing.

"You're asking about Damon? You haven't really asked about him since-" Caroline began but didn't end.

"Since I had to leave him, you mean?" I said ending Caroline's sentence for her.

"Um yeah, since that" she said.

"Well he doesn't live in Mystic falls anymore" said Bonnie, her eyes looking around her plate, instead of at my face.

"What? Since when?" I questioned

"A few weeks after you left," Bonnie answered.

"There was this senior year party at their house, Stefan hosted it and Damon was there and that was the last time we saw him," Said Caroline.

"Oh, what was he like?" I asked shyly.

"He seemed alright considering the circumstances, I mean he had a bourbon in hand the whole time, but that's just usual Damon!" stated Caroline. My eyes never left my plate and for the remainder of our brunch the three of us sat in an awkward silence, while I thought about Damon. The three of us walked around the mall, walking into a few stores and buying a few items. I bought a new pair of jeans that were my usual size for after the baby. The rest of the evening was spent watching, _Gone with the wind_ and eating a lot of pizza. For the rest of the night we didn't discuss Damon or the baby, instead it was spent talking about Scarlett and her wonderful assortment of clothes. It had been so long since the three of us could just talk and be normal for once. I loved spending time with them, because they made me feel as though I was back home in Mystic Falls and life was normal. Sunday night my two best friends left and I was once again joined by Ric, who told me about Mystic Falls and about Jenner and Jeremy. The last remaining two months of my pregnancy flew by, Caroline and Bonnie came and visited a few more times and so did Jenner and Jeremy. Ric went home to Mystic Falls and Jenner came and lived with me, for the remaining month. It was nice to have another girl to talk to all the time, instead of Ric and his football. Jenner I watched movies all the time and discussed just about everything. On June 7th I went into labour and on the 8th I gave birth. Having my daughter and giving her away made me never want another child. The hurt and pain of not only labour but giving my daughter away was pain beyond belief. Lying in the hospital room waiting for Jenner, gave me time to think. I had gone through labour not only alone physically but mentally as well. Throughout the entirety of lying in the hospital bed, all I could think about was Damon. He would've been here if I hadn't of left, he would've been standing next to me in this stupid hospital helping me through it, but instead he wasn't here. Damon was in New York probably moving on and it's all my fault. I hate what I did, what I had to do, I hated leaving Damon and I hate not being with him in this moment; in this moment of being alone. I need Damon, I needed him to be here with me, helping me through it but instead he doesn't even know that I'm pregnant.

Whilst I lay on the hospital bed, looking up at the ceiling, all I could think about was Damon and how much I wanted to get back to him. I knew no I hoped that Damon and I would meet again, somewhere in the future.

* * *

><p><strong> Damon's POV<strong>

**New York**

"Damon! Is that really you?" asked a voice from behind.

I spun around on Lexington Avenue, before noticing who the voice belonged to, "Katherine! Hey, how have you been?" I asked; bewildered by who I was eye to eye with at this moment.

"I've been very well, how have you been? I haven't seen you since that night at the King Cole Bar!" asked Katherine.

"I've been good as well, I moved to the city two weeks ago," I said.

"Wow, so you actually moved here permanently?" Katherine asked.

"Yep, I moved into the apartment I was talking to you about last time and now I'm living here permanently," I replied.

"So you're living in New York permanently and you're working permanently for your father's company, I mean Damon you're doing everything you said you would be doing at 24, congratulations!" Katherine's smile began to spread across her face as she congratulated me.

"Yeah, almost everything," I said in an almost whisper. I was doing everything that I expected to be doing at this age and I loved every moment of it. There was only one thing missing and that was Elena. She would be going to Columbia with Bonnie and Caroline in two months, maybe just maybe I had a chance of seeing her again.

"Well, what are you doing now?" Katherine asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"I was just leaving the office and I was going to head home," I paused before contemplating whether or not to ask Katherine out, "do you want to go grab a drink? I mean it is Friday and you remember our traditional Yale Friday night out?" I asked, hoping that she would give in to the temptation of not wanting to upset the tradition we had throughout the entirety of our college years.

"Well I wouldn't want to disrespect tradition!" she stated with her signature smile. Her smile almost came into competition with Elena's, although every time Elena smiled there was something sincere about it, there was something that made you want to look at it all day.

"The Campbell apartment?" I asked, pointing in the direction of Grand Central station.

"Sound great!" she said, turning to head in the direction of where I had pointed. We began walking to the Campbell apartment, passing others on their way out. We arrived at the Campbell Apartment in ten minutes, whilst talking about Katherine's work and my new apartment. I ordered bourbon for myself, while Katherine ordered a cocktail. We sat down on a bar stool and got back into our conversation. Our conversation flowed back into our usual rhythm. It was as if the two of us were back in college, drunk at someone's party or at a bar somewhere talking about where we would be in ten years. For the remaining few hours, the two of us talked continued to talk about work and our old college days. The conversation was pretty easy until Katherine brought up my past relationships and life in Mystic falls. "So, I've been avoiding asking you this question the entire night, but you haven't brought up Mystic Falls except that your brother lives there and will be moving to New York this year with your mother!" said Katherine.

"Yeah" I encouraged her.

"Tell me about the relationship that you had there, that you are clearly trying to avoid telling me!" Katherine stated, her eyes looking into mine, as though the answers would weep out.

"How do you know I had a relationship in Mystic Falls that I'm not telling you about?" I asked, intrigued by her intelligence that I had forgotten about.

"Damon, don't play dumb! You forget how long we have known each other and just how much you opened yourself to me, all those shots of tequila ago!" I laughed at her accurate description of our college days.

My smile, stayed plastered on my face while I opened up about my life in Mystic Falls and my life with Elena. "Ok! Ok! I'll tell you about Elena" I stated.

"Ahhhh I got a name, good start!" she stated, very pleased with herself.

"Her name was Elena, we were together for almost three years and then we broke up!" I stated bluntly.

"No, no, no Damon, you are not getting away with that! Tell me how you felt about her, what was she like? How did you break up? You got an MBA from Yale and unlike me you didn't start working immediately, instead you moved back to your hometown of a few thousand people and settled down with a girl, as if you were high school sweethearts. So I want to know what was so special about Elena that you delayed working for one of the most successful companied in the nation, to be in love with this girl, but then the two of you broke up. So why didn't it work?" she asked, whilst ordering another two drinks for the two of us. The bartender sat the drinks in front of us and I knew that Katherine was not going to let me out of the bar until she got the full story.

"Well, we sort of grew up together, but I never really knew her. I mean she's my brother's age and I never really noticed her until I came back to Mystic Falls to see my family during college break, at one of my brother's football games. She was on the field, in her cheerleading uniform and she lit up the field with her beautiful smile and that's how I noticed her. I asked her out at a party that my brother was throwing at our house and we dated for over two years after that. We were doing really, really well,

I mean I worked from home and flew back here when I needed to. I was in love with her and I don't know," I paused unsure of what else to say, or whether I should keep going. Katherine's strong gaze on me however, made me continue with what I was telling her. "Well, that was until about ten months ago when she started acting sort of weird and distant and then three months later she said that we weren't working and left and I haven't seen or heard from her since." With that, a sudden silence fell over the bar, which Katherine's smile easily cured.

"And you have no clue why she just left and why she thought the two of you weren't working?" Katherine asked.

"You seem to be taking a lot of interest in this!" I stated, suspicious of Katherine's motives.

"I just always wondered why you remained in Mystic Falls, when you could've been very successful in New York! She must be amazing for you to do all this for her!" Katherine stated, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, I stayed in Mystic Falls because Elena was in high school and we knew that we would eventually move to New York and live together in the apartment I am currently living in when she went to college. Yeah, she was worth it, she is worth it, but it didn't work out," I said, trying remember everything that had happened between the two of us.

"So how did she do it?" Katherine asked.

"Do what?" I replied in confusion.

"Break your heart! I mean you have clearly not moved on and when I bring up the subject of Elena, you seem quite distant and unwilling to talk about her," said Katherine.

"Um well, she told me that we weren't working and that me being away all the time was making it hard on our relationship. Basically she thought the two of us were drifting apart and that I wasn't myself when I was around."

Katherine looked me up and down, her eyes expressing a sudden sadness, "Damon, I'm sorry" she said in complete sympathy.

"It's fine," I breathed out. "Elena and I are over and I guess I just have to get used to that!"

"It doesn't sound like you are going to get used to it!" stated Katherine.

"Hey how about we get out of here, I want to show you the apartment?" I said getting out of my seat and holding my hand out for Katherine to take.

"Sounds great!" Katherine replied getting off of her bar stool and putting on her jacket. We thanked the waiter on our way out and walked out onto the busy and quite windy New York City streets. It was 11pm and the two of us walked up Madison Avenue, until we reached Central Park where we then turned left up 59th street until we reached 15 Central Park West. Katherine's arm had linked around mine, as we continued to talk about her work. My doorman greeted me and opened the door for the two of us, as I lead Katherine to the lifts at the end of the hall. I pressed PH20 on the list of apartment numbers and stood next to Katherine, whose hand had circled its way down to mine. I looked down at our hands that were attached, the feeling felt familiar and good, but there was also a feeling of uncertainty and disrespect. It was as if I was disrespecting Elena in some way. The elevator dinged at my level, I had only been living in my new apartment for a couple of months, but it already felt like home. There was however, this feeling that something was missing, I knew what it was, it was the feeling that the person that I loved wasn't here. Elena and I had planned on living in this very apartment and when I had bought it; I knew that everything about our future had fallen into place. The two of us were on the right track, until she left and everything had fallen apart. The apartment felt so empty without Elena, Elena was the heart of everywhere we went and this apartment would be no different if she were in it. Instead the elevator welcomed Katherine and I into my spacious apartment. I lead Katherine through the entry hallway and into the living room. I made Katherine feel comfortable and asked her where or not she wanted a drink. Katherine made her way to the glass windows as she took in the amazing view of the city. I went into the kitchen and pulled out an already opened bottle of champagne from the fridge and poured a glass for the both of us, before making my way to Katherine who was mesmerised in the beauty of the city; as was I every night I came home.

"So, how are you enjoying the view?" I asked, whist holding out a wine glass full of a wonderful liquid contents.

"Its amazing! I mean of course you would own this high up!" Katherine stated, smiling and taking the glass out of my hand.

"And you haven't even been outside yet! Its one of the only penthouses with a terrace!" I stated, unlocking the terrace doors and opening it for Katherine. The terrace was littered with large pot plants and flowers, which was all thanks to the apartment gardener. I had also hired the interior designer and decorator who did the inside of the apartment to do the terrace as well. There were large lounge chairs, an elevated deck and tables and chairs that decorated the large terrace.

"Its so beautiful!" stated Katherine, who had now made her way to the end of the balcony and was leaning against the railing, whilst watching the city. I joined Katherine on the balcony; my body now limp against the railing, as I drunk the contents from my glass. "I could spend all day out here!" she stated again.

"Yeah, its pretty amazing" I said, whilst I felt a warm hand come around my waist and down to by bum. I turned to face Katherine, whose face was only centimetres from mine. I looked into her greenish grey eyes, but longed for the brown ones that I had looked into for so long; the ones that I could stare at for hours on end. Katherine's lips came only inches away from mine and she took the first move and dived onto my lips. I opened my mouth inches apart to allow her entrance. Our lips and tongues moulded together forming an in sync rhythm. I pulled Katherine's body closer to mine and walked the two of us back inside, whilst her hands were ridding me of my layers. The two of us moved ourselves into the master bedroom; our lips never leaving one another's. We made it to the edge of my bed, whilst Katherine threw her top and pants into a heap on the floor; my jeans soon followed. Our mouths continued to interact; I could smell the alcohol coming off of her; a scent that Elena never smelt of. Once she ridded herself of her undergarments, I pushed our bodies onto the bed, as I pushed down onto her; her strong perfume wafted into my nose. We continued to kiss as I began thrusting inside of her; over and over until we reached our state of bliss. I rolled off of her and pulled the sheets over our limp bodies. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling as I watched Katherine's sheet covered stomach move up and down, as she drifted off to sleep.

**Thankyou for reading and reviewing and please continue to give me feedback so I know that I am going in the right direction. **


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

**-Chapter Seven-**

**You Are What You Say You Are**

**Elena's POV**

Bonnie, Caroline and I had been living in New York City for 10 months. We had become pretty accustomed to the New York City way of life; every morning was warm bagels, coffee and jacket weather. That's why it felt been strange to be back in Georgia, even if it was only for the long weekend. I told Caroline and Bonnie that I was going to Mystic Falls to see Jenner, Jeremy and Ric, who I hadn't seen in over six months. Instead I booked a flight to Atlanta, where instead of being picked up at the airport my Jenner or Ric, I hired a car and drove around the city of Atlanta for ten minutes until I pulled up at my destination. I parked the car and walked across the busy road to a brown brick building on the outskirts of Atlanta. I entered the building through the automatic doors and walked to the front desk. The receptionist behind a black desk greeted me, before I greeted myself and stated my intentions as to my visit. She started searching her calendar on the computer and looked at me quickly once she had finished her search.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, curious as to why she was looking at me in that manner.

"I just can't find your booking!" she stated; the quizzical look never leaving her face.

"I spoke to someone yesterday and they said I could come. I made the booking yesterday and I have come a long way!" I pleaded; trying to make her cave in.

"Just give me a minute and I'll ring the supervisor who deals with this area." She started pressing a few buttons on her phone, while I waited patiently. She started speaking to someone on the other end and then put the phone down when she got her answer.

"Ok, I'm sorry Elena, your fine to go in, just go down this corridor and there is a large door second on the left," she said pointing down the hallway. I made my way down the never-ending corridor until I finally got to the large doors she described. I turned the door handle and pushed open the large doors; opening it just a small amount in order to not disturb anyone. I continued to open the door small amounts until it was wide enough for me to walk through. The room emitted a pale pink colour with a white tinge. A desk greeted me when I walked in, as did a smiling woman behind it. "Hi are you Elena?" asked a woman in a's looking uniform.

"Yes, that's me!" I stated.

"I'm Lisa, we spoke on the phone, you stated on the adoption papers that you wished to be notified when there was someone interested in adopting your child!" the woman said.

"Yeah I did" I replied.

"Well there is a couple that have signed the adoption papers and they will actually be adopting her on Wednesday, so we called you to see whether or not you would like to see her before she will be permanently adopted." Said the nurse.

"Yeah I would love, to I guess" I replied.

"Ok well follow me then," said Lisa, leading me down the short hallway to yet another large door. This door however was at the back of the building and when the nurse opened it, it lead to an outside area with a playground and sandpit. There were a few young kids that looked about six or seven. They were playing on some play equipment that was surrounded by sand. The nurse lead me out to them so that I was in amongst their fun.

"Are all of these kids waiting to be adopted?" I asked, shyly in an almost whisper.

"This building houses all the children that have been adopted, but are waiting for the documents to be finalised," Lisa replied.

"So where is she?" I asked, whilst the nurse lead me to a bench that was directly opposite the play equipment.

"I called for one of the infant nurses to collect her and bring her down," she said again. The door the nurse and I exited, opened and a woman holding a toddler exited. The girl was dressed in a pink dress, further confirming that she was a girl and that she was my girl. I stood up as the nurse got closer and closer to us. The nurse smiled and introduced both herself and the toddler she was holding. "My name is Anna and this precious little one is Thea; it means goddess of the light!" she stated proudly.

"We thought the name appropriate, given that she will have so much potential and she is always happy," Lisa said, who took Thea from Anna and gently bounced her up and down. Thea, giggled and started reaching for Lisa's necklace, before Lisa sat down and took the necklace from her hand that was probably choking her. Lisa gently placed giggling Thea on the sand. Thea made her way to some of the plastic toys and started throwing them around and biting others. My smile never left my face as she continued to rummage around. I looked down at her beautiful face and smile; she had Damon's mesmerising blue eyes and my brown hair. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her, as Lisa began to describe what she had been up to. "So she has started walking, well sort of," she said smiling at Thea. "She is such a happy little girl Elena, you should be very happy for her. She has her little friends here and she has very much warmed to her adoptive parents."

"That's great!" I exclaimed, rather tearfully, "I wanted to know why it has taken a year though, for someone to adopt her? I mean I thought babies were usually adopted pretty quickly." I said, my eyes never leaving Thea.

"It's a long process Elena and it also takes a while for the parents to start to get used to the idea their going to be parents and getting everything ready at home. Usually its easier for new parents to adopt the child when they're about a year old," said Lisa, who to was staring at Thea. Lisa and I sat on the bench, watching Thea for half an hour before Lisa said it was time for Thea's nap. I got up off the bench and bent down to Thea's level, I watched the little girl study me with her eyes and point at my necklace.

"She has a thing for jewellery!" I stated, whilst unhooking my chain and letting it sit in the palm of my hand. "Do you think I could maybe give this to her?" I asked Lisa, motioning towards my necklace. "I would love it if she could have a part of me, even though she won't remember me."

"I'm sure that would be fine!" stated Lisa, who scooped Thea up and asked if I would like to carry her to her coat. I smiled at Lisa and opened my arms out; which Lisa filled with a warm little bundle of joy; that was Thea. I bounced her in my arms a few times and started walking towards the large doors. When we got to the coat, Lisa said she was already meant to be down half an hour ago and that it was probably time to go. My eyes started to tear up slightly as once again I had to let this beautiful child go. I placed a kiss to her forehead and whispered "I love you" to her ear, before placing her in her coat. Lisa handed me back my handbag, which I had asked her to carry whilst I held Thea. I rummaged through it and found what I was looking for.

"When I was young" I began to explain, "this was the toy that I held onto all the time, it was the toy I couldn't live without and it would mean the world to me if my daughter," I shook my head before continuing "um, I mean Thea, if Thea could have it!" I said smiling at my toy bear; that I was given when I was younger than Thea and that I still love to this day. I placed my necklace into the small opening in the bear's stomach that used to house sunglasses and lipstick that I would decorate my bear with. After a few minutes of staring at Thea, who had drifted off to sleep, whilst Lisa and I were talking I placed the bear in the cot next to her. I looked down at Thea's beautiful sleeping form, before thanking Lisa multiple times for allowing me to see Thea, for the first time after giving birth and for the last time, before she joins her family. Mia, the other nurse came and relieved Lisa, who asked to walk me out. I turned around on my heel and began walking out with Lisa. She opened the door for me at the end of the hallway, although before walking through I turned around one last time to look at Thea, who I couldn't see but knew was asleep in the cot. I knew I had to go and instead of running back to the cot and taking Thea into my arms held open for me. Lisa guided me down the long hallway, past the secretary and out the front door to my car. I bid Lisa goodbye and unlocked the car. Once in I turned on the ignition but didn't go anywhere. Instead I sat in the car, with the radio on low, whilst the tears rolled down my cheeks; creating a small pool on my jeans. For an hour I just sat in my car, crying and thinking about Thea and her illuminating smile and rosy red cheeks, thinking about her silky brown hair and her icy blue eyes. I thought about how much she looked like Damon and how he didn't even know she existed. My tears started to dry up on my skin and left a salty residue. I brushed my jeans with the back of my hand and padded my eyes. I put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking spot and drove the half an hour to Mystic Falls. Driving down Highway 20, passing the lines of identical looking trees and following the continuous yellow lines until I got to my destination. I pulled up outside my family home; which looked exactly like it did when I left it. I pulled the hire car up outside the house and stepped out. Taking my bag out of the backseat, I made my way up to the dark house. The white exterior and large roman columns greeted me and brought back amazing memories of child hood and simplistic times. I walked up to the front porch and knocked on the front door. After a few minutes of know one answering, I made my way to the porch swing. My legs pushed my body back and forth, whilst I looked down to the front of the house where my car was. I remembered not to long ago, Damon dropping me off right there where my car currently is. He told me how much he loved me and how we were going to have an amazing future together and despite me knowing that I was pregnant then and how he would freak out, I believed him. I believed everything that Damon was telling me, because I loved him with everything I had and for some reason it is gone, Damon is gone and I am left, feeling utterly alone. Deciding that Jenner and Ric must be out or that they had forgotten, I pulled out my phone and dialled Jeremy.

"Hey Elena, how are you going?" asked Jeremy.

"I'm good Jer, I'm at the house, where are you guys?" I asked.

"Oh shit" I heard Jeremy mutter, "Your already there? We thought that you were coming on Sunday."

"No, Jer I specifically told Jenner that I was coming today and that I would drive back on Sunday?"

"Oh sorry Elena, I think Jenner must have got the dates muddled!" said Jeremy.

No shit I said to myself, "well it doesn't matter, I'll just see you guys when you get home from work and school."

"Um, yeah the thing about that is that, we um" Jeremy continued stuttering, trying to find the right words to explain.

"Where are you guys, Jeremy?" I asked, starting to get annoyed at myself for not just going back to New York after I saw Thea.

"We're in Charlotte!" he stated shyly.

"WHAT!" I exclaimed a little louder than I should have "You're in Charlotte, as in Charlotte, North Carolina?"

"Yeah, Jenner and Ric came to watch me play football!" he said again.

"Ok, well that's just great, Charlotte is like a four hour drive or a one to two hour plane ride away, how am I going to get to see you guys?" I asked Jeremy, expecting him to have all the answers.

"I don't know Elena, I don't know what to tell you, listen I'll put Jenner on, she's here, so bye" he said, handing the phone to Jenner.

"Hey Elena, sweetie I'm so sorry that we messed up the days, I completely forgot you said Friday, anyway how are you?" Jenner asked.

"Yeah I'm fine and don't worry about, look why don't I drive up and meet you guys, that way I can see Jeremy play?" I asked, not 100% excited for the four-hour drive I was about to complete.

"Are you sure Elena, I mean I can leave Jeremy here with Ric and drive down to see you?" she asked.

"No, no that's fine, I'll come up and see you guys, what time is Jeremy's game?" I asked.

"Its at seven!" stated Jenner.

I glanced down at my watch; it was three o'clock, which gave me enough time to see Jeremy's game. "Ok, I'm leaving now, so I'll see you guys soon" I told Jenner, getting up off the porch swing and making my way back down to the car. I got in the driver's side and started the car, pulling out from the curb I made my way to Charlotte. Driving threw Mystic Falls and making my way once again onto highway 20; passing identical looking trees and following the yellow lines to my destination. Pulling off the highway as I entered Charlotte after three and a bit hours of driving, I made my way to the stadium my brother was playing at. I parked the car in the parking lot and made my way into the extremely busy vicinity. I made my way up the set of stairs into the seating area, where Jeremy and his rival team were playing. The game had started and Jeremy's team were loosing 7 to nil. I walked down a few stairs to the bottom where I could see Jenner and Ric, holding banners with Jeremy's team name sprawled over it. I made my way down, passing people with banners, pom poms and drinks, who were cheering for both teams. "Jenner!" I exclaimed, once I had reached the front row.

"Elena!" she exclaimed with just the same amount of enthusiasm. I squeezed my way through the numerous people cheering and booing for the different teams until I reached Jenner and Ric. Jenner immediately threw her arms around me, squeezing me against her body until it became uncomfortable, instead of breaking the embrace I nestled further, until Ric broke us up. My arms then went around Ric's and we stood holding each other for a few seconds before Jeremy's team must of scored and he broke away and began cheering.

"How are you doing?" Ric asked, whilst in mid clap.

"I'm fine, I'm happy to be here and see you guys," I answered.

"Well, we are happy to have you and Jeremy will need some support seeing as the idiot just got pummelled my our rivals!" Ric stated in annoyance, although continued clapping.

Jenner's hand came around my waist, whilst Ric's hand came to my shoulder and handed me a drink of coke. The three of us watched Jeremy throw the ball to the end of the field, where the recipient ran and scored a touchdown; in affect causing all the Mystic Falls Timberwolves to cheer in happiness. The three of us jumped up and down cheering for Jeremy and his amazing throwing arm. Once the game had finished, Jenner, Ric and I walked to our cars and decided to drive home; as there wouldn't be much traffic. The three of us talked whilst we waited by our cars for Jeremy to come out of the changing room with the rest of his team. Jeremy rounded the corner of the changing rooms and walked to us, waving at me and smiling with just as much enthusiasm as Jenner and Ric. I ran up to him and he grabbed me into a tight embrace; the two of must have looked like the army officer who had just got back from war and the girlfriend he hadn't seen in years.

"Hey, how are you?" Jeremy asked twirling me around in his arms and bringing me to a halt back in the position I had started from.

"I'm good! You did so good out there Jer! You were the best out there as usual!" I stated, breaking the embrace. Jeremy and I walked back to where Jenner and Ric were and loaded our cars with Jeremy's gear. The four of us decided that Jeremy would come in my car and Ric would go with Jenner. As we pulled out of the stadium carpark, Ric in front of me, the traffic became thicker as we got further and further to the entrance.

"Have you been talking to Bonnie?" I asked Jeremy, breaking the silence.

"No not much, I mean we sort of stoped talking a few months ago. I mean it was a long distance relationship and it wasn't going to work. I guess when I go to college and if I get in, in New York that is then we can reconnect then," said Jeremy, turning up the radio, so that it was just enough to hear.

"Well she hasn't started dating anyone if you were wondering, at least know one that I have heard of yet!" I stated, actually unsure of what I just said.

"Gee that's reassuring Elena, thank you for your input and your reassuring words of wisdom, they are greatly appreciated," said Jeremy.

"Your most welcome!" I stated, gleaming at Jeremy, who was scowling at me. The two of us continued to drive, following Ric; whose car lights illuminated the way home. Jeremy continuously asked me about Matt and when I didn't answer asked about Damon; which I declined to discuss. We arrived in Mystic Falls at midnight and decided on all going straight to bed. Sleeping in my old bed and in my childhood bedroom last night was quite surreal. It felt like being back in high school, back being a teenager and back being a cheerleader. I made my way downstairs at nine am and found the kitchen busy with Jenner making breakfast, Jeremy making coffee and Ric setting the table. "Hey!" I announced as I walked into the busy kitchen, taking one of the mugs that Jeremy had set out on the kitchen bench.

"Good morning!" my family sing songed back to me.

"What are we eating?" I asked, the smell of toast mixed with egg and other breakfast condiments wafting into my nasal passage.

"Have a look!" stated Jeremy.

"Sorry" I quickly apologised, in a wounded tone. I sat down at the table, with my coffee in hand and waited until breakfast was served.

"Well that was delicious!" Ric exclaimed once we had finished eating.

"I second that" stated Jeremy.

"Yeah, that was amazing!" I said, in recognition. Once Ric and Jeremy had unset and cleared the table, both announced they were going out, but never stated where they were going. The clock on the wall said ten thirty and Jenner and I were the only ones left at the dining room table.

"So we never got to talk," said Jenner breaking the silence.

"Talk about what?" I asked, completely dumbfounded, although had the slight inkling of what it was Jenner wanted to talk about.

"Well, you told me that the adoption agency called you and that you were thinking about going before you came to see us, so did you end up going or didn't you" Jenner asked, whilst taking a sip of her coffee.

"I did go, I saw her Jenner, I saw her," I repeated.

"Tell me what she is like, I mean she's a year old and you haven't seen her for a year, so" Jenner said looking in to my eyes.

"She's amazing Jenner, her name is Thea and she has this amazing smile and this amazing personality. Her eyes are just like Damon's and her hair is just like moms and mine. She's always laughing as well and she loved Mr. Brown the bear I gave her."

"Well, she sounds amazing!" Jenner exclaimed.

"Yeah, she really is amazing!" I exclaimed.

"I wish I could've seen her," said Jenner.

"Yeah, I wish you could have seen her too!" I said again. The two of us sat at the kitchen table for the majority of the day and the entirety of the weekend. On Sunday, I drove back to the airport in Atlanta and flew back to New York, to my apartment I shared with Caroline and Bonnie. Bonnie and Caroline were out when I got home, so I opted for my warm bed. When I woke up that morning, there was no smell of pancake batter, toast or even coffee that awoke my senses; instead the uproar outside and the busy New York City vibe awoke me from my deep slumber. As my eyes adjusted to the newly sunlit room, a blonde and dark head of hair sat comfortably on my bed, their smiles irradiating the room. "Hi!" I spoke, groggily.

"How you doin?" Caroline asked in her best Joey Tribiani accent. The three of us started laughing at Caroline's spot on impersonation of our favourite male _Friends_ character.

"I'm very well, how are you guys doing?" I asked my two best friends.

"We are hot, like usual!" stated Caroline as again. The three of us started laughing again, this time at Caroline's expense.

"How was being back home?" Bonnie asked.

"It was just like it was when we left, only I somehow seemed quite old" I replied, my eyebrows knitting together as I suddenly became confused as to why I felt that way. "But you weren't really asking how Mystic Falls was, are you?"

"Ok, so maybe I wanted to know how Jeremy was doing, is that so wrong?" Bonnie asked, looking completely innocent.

"No its not, but you could maybe call him yourself, I mean he would love to hear from you Bon!" I stated.

"Well we tried doing the whole long distance thing and it wasn't working, so I think calling him and asking him how he is, might be a bit awkward; considering we technically broke up."

"Ok guys, enough talking we need to get going to class" said Caroline, glancing at her clock and calculating the time that we had left.

"What's the time?" I asked.

"Well put it this way, we have 55 minutes to get dressed, eat and be in the classroom!" said Caroline, jumping off the bed and onto her feet. Pulling the covers from my body, I got up and made my way into the bathroom. I showered put on makeup and a crisp white shirt that I tucked into my black skinny jeans; fastening them around my waist with a black leather belt. Pulling my straightened brown air into a high ponytail I made my way out of the bathroom and got my bag and required books.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked, my two friends who were in the kitchen drinking freshly brewed coffee.

"Here" Bonnie said, handing me a cup.

"Yeah, we're ready!" announced Caroline, who started washing her used cup in the sink. I skulled my coffee and headed out the door that Bonnie was holding open for me. The three of us walked down the stairs to the bottom of our building and onto the main road. We walked up Columbus Avenue, past Central Park with forty minutes to spare. Walking up Columbus Avenue, past Central Park made me realise just how much I appreciated this city; 'the city that never sleeps'. I loved living here and there was nowhere else that I would want to spend the rest of my life. The three of us arrived at school with ten minutes to spare, which gave Caroline the opportunity to go makeout with Tyler behind one of the Medical buildings, whilst Bonnie ditched us for her seminar. Matt arrived a few minutes before the class, his hands wrapping around my waist and his lips connecting to my forehead.

"I love you!" he whispered into my ear; I shivered at the sudden cool feeling on my neck. After almost one year of dating, I had become pretty accustomed to Matt's proclamations of love and despite loving what I was hearing; somehow it felt like I was hearing it from the wrong person. There was apart of me, a feeling that was deep down that didn't reciprocate those feelings. Don't get me wrong, I did love Matt, I loved him for everything he had done for me. He had helped me out when I felt at my absolute worst, he lifted me up from a really bad place; a place where I felt isolated and completely alone. Once our class had finished, Matt asked Caroline, Bonnie, Tyler and I if we wanted to go to 1Oak bar, Caroline, Tyler and Bonnie declined, all of whom said they had too much study to do. I knew Bonnie was the only one that would actually go through with that excuse, while Caroline and Tyler would probably be having sex in his king sized bed. Matt and I left my apartment at eight o'clock and got in a cab that took us to 1Oak. It was eight thirty by the time we arrived, due to the heavy traffic and long line to get in. The two of us made our way to the bar and ordered a few drinks. We were there for two and a half hours, the entire time, Matt's arm never left my thigh.

"So," Matt started, his sudden words breaking me from concentration on the straw in my glass. "You haven't spoken about how being back home was?" he asked.

"Yeah it was fine, it was the same old Mystic Falls I guess," I said, answering his question with complete honesty.

"So have you thought about my offer to move in with me?" Matt asked.

I laughed, emitting my teeth before answering, "I want to, I do, but I just don't know if I can leave Bonnie and Caroline. I mean they are my best friends and we have wanted to study in New York and share an apartment since were, like ten. So I'm not sure if I'm ready to let that go or not," I told Matt, my hand resting on his arm and my leg rubbing against his.

"Well," Matt began again, "If you change your mind, my apartment on 54th would love to have you!"

"I am going to think about, but in the mean time, why don't we get another drink and then we can walk home and you can get me an ice cream and then we can go back to your place and I can sleep over, how does that sound?" I asked, my hand moving up to Matt's face and my lips moving to his.

Matt's mouth opened, allowing my entrance, "That" he began kissing me, "sounds" kiss, "amazing!" he stated, our mouths fully moulding together, creating a certain amount of friction. The two of us ordered another drink each and continued inappropriately making out at the bar, before leaving 1Oak and getting in a cab and going to Matt's. I opted out of the ice cream and instead decided that we would just go home and have an early night. Due to our slightly intoxicated minds Matt and I both fell asleep after making out on his bed for a few minutes. His body hugged mine, tightly throughout the night and tonight, more than any other night, I felt more connected to Matt than ever.

**Sorry for the lack of Damon but he will be in it next chapter so t****hankyou for reading and reviewing and please continue to give me feedback so I know that I am going in the right direction. **


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

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><p><strong>-Chapter Eight-<strong>

**The One That Got Away**

**Damon's POV**

"So where are we going tonight?" asked Katherine, whose naked body rolled onto my naked upper torso.

"Shall we try 1Oak? I haven't been there in ages!" I stated, my arms pulling her closer to my chest.

"Yeah, I haven't been there since we were in college!" Katherine stated.

"Well," I stared kissing her on her bear breasts, "it" kiss "will" kiss "be" kiss "very hot!" I said, then rolling our bodies over so that I was now on top of her. "Now get those hot jeans of yours on and that yummy perfume and lets get out of here!" I stated, rolling her over again. I pushed the sheets off of our bodies and made my way to my dresser to put my jeans and tight fitting V-neck shirt. Once I was dressed, I walked into the kitchen and poured a bottle of bourbon. Thinking on my feet, as I knew they wouldn't have the vintage I liked. "Katherine, are you ready?" I yelled, making sure she could hear me down the hall.

"I'll be ready in like two minutes, you impatient fool!" she yelled back in a mocking tone. I walked back into our now shared master bedroom. I had asked Katherine to move in with me, last week. Her copious quantities of perfume, makeup, clothes and hair products and taken almost the entire bathroom and guest bedroom. I heard Katherine's shoes clanking on the wooden floor as she walked towards me. "I'm ready!" she chastised me, by wiggling her bum in her tight fitting black jeans. I walked towards her, grabbing her hips and pulling her into my arms and kissing her passionately. I moved both of our bodies towards the elevator, calling it and grabbing my wallet from the bench, before putting it in my pocket and making our way to the elevator. The elevator dinged at our level and brought us down to the ground floor. My doorman opened the door for us and wished us good night. "Thankyou Victor!" Katherine and I said, before walking out the door and getting into my towncar that was parked out the front of the apartment. My driver got out and opened the door for the two of us and drove us both up to 1Oak. Ordering a drink each at the already very crowded bar at nine thirty on a Monday night, felt like we were back in college; nineteen with our whole lives ahead of us. I ordered Katherine a cocktail and myself a shot of whiskey, before walking back to a table that was towards the back of the establishment. As the bar began to fill up and the clock turning to ten, the two of us ordering multiple drinks, we sat together relishing in each other's conversation.

"How was work today, babe?" I asked Katherine, changing the conversation from her past to her present.

"It was alright!" she stated, whilst taking another sip from her cocktail. "It's busy, but same old, same old. Damon, I'm going to be away for a week, for a client meeting in London, which just so happens to coincide with fashion week, so I will be staying an extra few days."

I laughed before speaking again, "it just so happened to coincide, did it?" I teased her mockingly. She smiled, showing me her white teeth, whilst her hand travelled up and down my arm.

"Hey, I got an invite and I'm not declining, so you are just going to have to live without me for an extra few days," said Katherine, her leg slightly brushing mine.

"Well, I guess I'll have to try!" I stated, letting out a deep breath and gently taking her chin in my hand and guiding her mouth towards mine. Our mouths moulded together like clay, creating a dynamic rhythm, whilst the smell of alcohol washed off of our lips and filled each other's mouths.

After minutes of connecting, the two of us disconnected and continued back with our conversation. "So when are you going?" I asked, finishing off the last of my shot, which had taken me longer than usual to finish.

"Thursday," she said, her lips creating a rounded shape, making them seem fuller and her red lipstick brighter. "Hey, guess who I'm going with?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for the answer.

"Who?" I asked, not bothered to guess.

"Mason the flirter!" she said, wiggling her upper body.

"Seriously!" I stated, "Mason, who is always asking you out?"

"Yep, that's the one! You know yesterday he bought in nearly half of his tie collection and asked me which one's suited him the best!" Katherine said, finishing the last of her cocktail.

"What a douche!" I stated, the jealously, clearly washing over me. "I'm going to come into the office one day and tell him whose boss!"

"Ok you do that tough guy!" Katherine said, whilst eating the last olive in her glass. "You can't come into the office anyway, you're company is our rival!" she said laughing.

"You're right about that!" I stated, getting to my feet. "Why don't I get us one more round and then we get out of here!"

"I would like that very much!" she said, smiling at me again. I made my way to the extremely busy bar, ordering another two drinks for Katherine and I. After the bartender told me it would take a few minutes, I opted for sitting down at the only barstool left vacant. The large bar was packed to ceiling and the music blaring. People, decorated every table and stool in the vicinity; the majority wearing formal work attire. I sat at the bar looking around at the people that vacated the establishment. My eyes became fixed on one particular woman; her long brown hair flowed down her back, her back was turned to me and was facing a blonde haired guy who was laughing at something she must have said. Her thick hair and natural stance was what drew me to her. Her tight black jeans, which I could see beneath the bar, extenuated her already reasonably long legs and her tucked in top, making her arms, look sun kissed in the dim lighting of the bar. I wasn't sure what was drawing me to her, but the longer I waited for the bartender to mix Katherine's drink, the more I heard her laugh above the other patrons. Her laugh was hypnotizing, I was sure that the guy with her thought the exact same thing. Sitting and listening to her laugh, while her partner told her something, made me think about Katherine's laugh. Her laugh was not nearly as hypnotic, because she didn't laugh this much. When I thought about her laugh, I then thought about her as a person. She was nearly as happy as this woman sitting a few stools in front of me, even with her back turned to me. Mine and Katherine's drinks were placed on a napkin in front of me, which I repaid by giving him the owed money. Instead of going immediately back to Katherine, I stared at this woman's back for a few more minutes and noticed something familiar about her. Thinking that Katherine was probably wondering what I was doing, I decided to stop staring at the familiar looking girl with the hypnotic laugh and went and gave Katherine our drinks. We started up our conversation again and as I looked for the girl at the bar, I couldn't see her due to the large amount of people crowding the bar in front of her. Once we had finished our last round, Katherine and I decided to stick to our deal and go home. On our way out, I turned around to see the woman at the bar and her partner, who were immersed in conversation. My eyes bulged, whilst my mind did a double take. I stayed in the doorway of 1Oak staring at the girl who was sitting at the bar. Katherine mustn't have noticed that I was standing in the doorman because she headed out, whilst thanking the bouncer. "Elena" I breathed out, speaking to myself, but also hoping that she would hear me and turn around to face me. I stared at her for a few minutes, my eyes suddenly welling up. I hadn't seen Elena in nearly two years, but I remembered her every feature. I remembered her beautiful her laugh, her smile and her hair, even her back. I remembered every single detail because I loved her and it had never changed and it probably never would. Katherine must have realised that I hadn't come out with her, because I felt her hand interlace mine.

"Hey are you ok?" Katherine asked, looking somewhat concerned.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, I just saw someone I thought I knew," I answered, lying to her.

"Who?" Katherine asked, searching the bar from the doorway.

"Oh, it's not them, let's just get out of here!" I stated, leading her out the door. On my way I turned around one last time to see Elena kissing he random stranger. Seeing her kissing anyone, other than myself was like being punched in the face, or more precisely the mouth. Katherine and I headed out of 1Oak, a stream of people entering as we exited. We walked back to my apartment, to avoid the busy traffic. We got back to my penthouse at twelve o'clock and decided to go to sleep straight away.

I woke up at five in the morning, not able to sleep. I had been tossing and turning in bed the entire night and it was all because I couldn't stop thinking about Elena and how much I had wished I could have at least spoken to her or stayed staring at her a bit longer. I loved Elena and I was pretty sure I still did, although apart of me believed that I could never forgive her for leaving me. Elena and I had been dating for over a year and then she left, she told me she was leaving and then she left and I hadn't seen or heard from her since. Elena left for Atlanta the day she told me she was leaving and it ruined me. Ever since then, I haven't been able to think about anything else or anyone until I started seeing Katherine again. I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling, feeling Katherine's warm body radiating from beside me, thinking abut a woman who had no desire to know where I was. Stefan was the first person and one of the only people that I told about Elena leaving for Atlanta and leaving me. Moving to New York permanently, which both my mother and father were very happy about, gave me somewhat of a distraction; although the women I met at the Campbell Apartment did the job just fine as well. As I thought deeper about Elena, I realised that if the two of us were still together she would be the warm body next to me. Instead she was at her dream college, I was doing my dream job, she was with some stranger and I was with Katherine. Thinking about Elena however, made me think about my future ad my future with Katherine; which I wasn't 100 percent sure I wanted. Tonight I realised that Katherine was a distraction, she was a memory, a memory that I wanted to relive, but there was someone that I wanted and I was lying to myself if I thought any different.

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><p>I woke up Thursday morning, with a slight headache, due to Katherine's small farewell last night. Even though she would only be gone for two weeks, she loved to celebrate just about anything. Instead of waking up to a beautiful woman, a piece of paper with my name sprawled across the front, sat in her place. I put my hand to my head and opened the folded white piece of paper.<p>

_Damon, _

_I'm sorry that I'm not here to greet you this morning, but I'll be back in your bed at the end of next week. Have a good time without me, but not too good a time I hope. _

_Much love and kisses… _

_K. _

I finished reading the letter and let my eyes adjust to the morning's glare, my head still sore after last night's festivities. After reading Katherine's note at nine o'clock in the morning, I knew I had to get ready for work. I got up and headed into the en suite bathroom; ridding my body of my pyjamas and hoping in the shower. The lukewarm water rushed over my awaiting body. Once I had showered enough to my liking I got out and put on my black suit pants, white button up shirt and red tie. Grabbing my bag, I skipped breakfast and walked to the elevator waiting for it to pick me up and bring me to the ground level. My driver was waiting for me at the door of my town car. I thanked Arthur my driver and sat in the back seat reading the _New York Times_, while the rest of the city whizzed pas me. I arrived at my Midtown office at ten o'clock and would possibly face the heave wrath of my father. I greeted Andie, who presented me with a fresh coffee that I so desperately needed.

"I bet your missing Katherine already!" Andie stated.

"More than you can imagine!" I lied, walking into my office coffee in hand. I checked the calendar on my desk and noticed the meeting I had circled around today's date. It was a meeting that I had thankfully prepared on Monday, knowing that I would probably be quite drunk the night after Katherine's going away party. Collecting the material I had on my desk, ready for today's meeting, which was scheduled in an hour, I walked out of my office and called for the elevator to take me to my father's level; the same level the meeting would be on. The elevator took me up to the next level, where my father was waiting for me in the conference room. "Hey dad!" I exclaimed, opening the glass door and shutting it behind me.

"Are you ready for the meeting?" he asked, not taking his eyes of the papers in front of him.

"I too am well Dad, thanks for asking!" I said mockingly.

"Damon, are you ready of not?" he asked again, seemingly irritated.

"Yeah, yeah I'm ready, here!" I exclaimed, sliding my papers across the table to my father.

"I don't have time to look over them, but you better impress them, or better yet you could impress me for once!" said my father, his words hurting more than they should.

Instead of firing back another shot, I ignore his words and move to the white board where I will begin my presentation. A very important potential client from Texas was coming into the office today and for some unbeknown reason my father had given me the great honour to seal the deal. I set up in the conference room, waiting for the Texans in their suits and white hats to arrive. At ten minutes passed twelve the clients walked in, blue suits and as anticipated white hats. Both my father and I walked over to the glass door and greeted and ushered in the Texans.

"Arthur, Chris, how was the flight?" my father asked, seeming very interested in their response; the complete opposite to his interest in me.

"It was very good, we haven't been in the city for so long, much has changed!" Arthur stated. Unlike Chris, Arthur being older and somewhat wiser, always got straight to business, just like my father. It was probably one of the reasons that made both of them the success they are today. Arthur and Chris sat down next to each other at one end of the table, my father sitting across from them. I went straight to the whiteboard and began my presentation. I began with telling them our companies intentions and briefed them on the work we had done, the work we would do with them and concluded my briefing them on the history of their company and how we could assist them with making it even more profitable. My father nodded his head at me when I finished giving my presentation and I knew I must have convinced them. The only other time my father nodded his head in an impressed sort of way was when I got into college and even then he was happier for Stefan for joining the goddamn Mystic Falls football team. I could never quite understand what it was about my father and what it was about me that Mr father didn't like. The majority of the father's I know are closest to their oldest son, but my father wanted nothing to do with me. All he wanted was the end result that came with me booking his company clients. My mom always told me that my father loved me and respected me in his own special way. But even as a child, as a teenager and even today I don't really know if my father deep down does care about me in his own special way and apart of me doesn't care, but another part is torn and broken because of it.

My father saw Arthur and Chris out, while I packed up my presentation. Heading for the elevator, I went back down to my office, passing my secretary who handed me another coffee. I sat in my swivel chair and turned it around to face the window, which looked out at Central Park. Rocking the chair from right to left slightly, sipping my coffee and thinking about the night I saw Elena in the bar.

"Hey Andie!" I called out to my secretary.

"Yes Damon, what did you need?" she answered, coming into the office and standing in front of my desk.

"Can I ask your advice about something?" I asked, swivelling my chair around to face Andie.

"Yeah sure, what is it?" she asked enthusiastically. I nodded my head at the chair she was standing next to, which she pulled out and sat in.

"I need to ask your advice about my girlfriend!" I stated

"Mmhmm," she nodded at me.

"Ok, Katherine and I have been together for a few months now, although we were together for almost two years in college and she is one of my best friends." I paused, thinking about what I would say next and how I would phrase it. "But the other night, the two of us went to this bar and I saw my ex-girlfriend who I think I'm still in love with and now apart of me doesn't know what to do about it. I mean should I break up with Katherine; who I love and go after Elena, who looked to be in a relationship or should I try harder with Katherine?"

"Ummm, well," she began, taking everything that I told her in. "Look Damon you have to ask yourself something, do you think of Katherine as a friend or as someone you love? And do you love Elena or do you love the idea of Elena?" she asked.

"How did you know it was Elena?" I asked confused at her sudden knowledge of my love life.

"Damon, you were mopping for weeks over Elena!" Andie stated. I looked down at my desk, trying to understand what I was feeling towards both of these women, before Katherine interrupted me. "Damon, when did you get together with Katherine? And I don't mean during college, I mean a few months ago?" she asked.

"Well," I breathed out, "I went out for drinks with her, when I was here for a month, it was when I was still with Elena." Andie didn't answer my response, instead her eyes looked at me sincerely and she nodded her head in reply. I nodded my head at Andie and whispered "thankyou," signalling for her to leave. Once Andie had got back to her desk and began typing something on her computer, I swiveled my chair around and looked out at the view.

* * *

><p>"Damon, why are your hands so sweaty?" Katherine asked.<p>

"I don't know, I guess I get nervous when I'm in your presence!" I said, laughing at her.

"Ohhhhhhh poor me!" Katherine said, slapping me on the behind.

"Come on let's get in there!" I stated, ushering Katherine into the boathouse restaurant that we had booked for lunch. The waiter brought us to our table, which overlooked the lake. After ordering our meals, Katherine and I started our conversation up again that we had started earlier. Katherine had gotten back from London almost three months ago and the two of us had grown much closer. Andie's advice, about trying to start over with Katherine had pushed me to give our relationship another chance, even if at that point I was very unsure of my feelings towards Katherine and towards Elena, who I hadn't seen again. Instead, after being together for almost six months, not including our years at college, I had decided that I needed to work on our relationship, without telling Katherine about my doubt. I had been working on our relationship for two months and it was really paying off. Katherine and I seemed to be on the same level about everything and despite Katherine not being Elena, I did love her. Katherine might not be Elena, but there was know one like Elena and if I couldn't have the real thing, then I couldn't have it at all. Once the both of us had finished our lunch, we walked around central park and sat down near sheep's meadow, sitting on the grass basking in the sun. The two of us lay on the lush green grass, staring up at the blue sky, watching the moving clouds and thinking about our lives together.

**Sorry for the lack of Damon but he will be in it next chapter so t****hankyou for reading and reviewing and please continue to give me feedback so I know that I am going in the right direction. **


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

**-Chapter Nine-**

**Here and Now, There and Then**

**Elena's POV**

"You guys broke up!" Bonnie and I exclaimed in unison.

"Yes we did!" Caroline said nodding her head up and down.

"When?" I asked her.

"We broke up last month, its not a big deal, I mean neither of us are torn up about it, we just-" Caroline said but I quickly interjected her.

"You broke up a MONTH ago? Um why are we hearing about this now?" I said stamping my foot on the ground of our usual hangout.

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, I mean it was over a stupid thing and we kind of weren't working."

"Wow, I just can't believe we are only hearing about this now that's all!" I said, staring intently at Caroline, who was now midway through her slice of lemon cake.

"So are you ok with it then?" Bonnie asked, sincerely.

"Yeah, I think I am," Caroline replied honestly.

"Well, good then" I began, "but I think you're going to need another slice of lemon cake, or better yet, get me another piece!"

"Wait why do you need another slice of cake?" my two best friends asked me.

"Because I decided to move in with Matt" I replied, smiling.

"Wow, your going to be moving away and leaving us Lena!" Caroline said in a whimper.

"Oh Care we both know that you just want the master bedroom!" I stated jokingly. The three of us laughed at Caroline's expense and continued eating our lemon cake; the waitress coming and putting another plate in front of us. The three of us continued talking and laughing mostly at Caroline's expense, until a waitress came over to our table to tell us that the café was closing. The three of us walked out of the establishment and walked home to our apartment. Once we were in, I looked around and noticed the amount of memories that we had already formed in this apartment. Matt and I agreed that seeing as we still had two and a half years left of our bachelor's degree, we would move in together towards the end of our second year; during the holidays. The three of us sat down on the couch, switching on the TV and opting to watch the movie that was roughly fifteen minutes in. During the first set of ads, I got up and started making some popcorn with extra butter and salt. Once it had popped and everything was added, I put the popcorn in a large bowl and sat down on the couch, popcorn in hand. It was memories like sitting on the couch, eating popcorn with my two best friends that I cherished. There were so many others as well, that would stay in my hear for so long and moving in with Matt would not make those memories disappear.

"I'm going to miss this so much!" I stated, my eyes slightly tearing up.

"Oh don't worry, we are still going to see each other every single day, we just won't be sleeping in the next bedroom from you. Instead you will be sleeping in Midtown," said Bonnie, her hand resting on my leg and my hand in Caroline's lap. My two best friends meant the world to me and I couldn't have gotten through everything I did without them. I knew that we would see each other everyday, but I wanted to move in with the person that I loved, to continue with our relationship in a positive way. For the rest of the night the three of us ate salty popcorn and finished the film that was on TV; relishing in each other's company and conversation.

**-Line Break-**

"God, why do girls have to have so much stuff!" Matt complained, lifting my two heavy boxes full of clothes and shoes.

"Oh stop complaining, that's what your muscles are for!" I exclaimed throwing another cardboard box on top of Matt's already high pile.

"HEY!" he shouted, when the top box fell to the floor. The two of us burst out laughing, whilst continuing lifting the heavy boxes up the stairs and into Matt's apartment. Matt and I have been together for a year and a half now and everything has seemed to fall into place. Walking into Matt's apartment in Midtown, the apartment I could now call my own, as Matt repeatedly insisted, felt like I had so much security and so much of my life ahead of me. After putting a few of my clothes away in Matt's spare room, I checked the time and realised that we had to be at school in an hour. Matt and I quickly showered together, to his disappointment it was only showering. We both got dressed and grabbed an apple for the walk to school. My back was a bit sore from lifting my boxes, so Matt offered to carry my not very heavy bag; earning a few points for consideration. Walking to Columbia through the streets of New York, my hands intertwined with Matt's made me even happier than I already was. The two of us finally made it to our classes on time and once finished we walked the exact same way home, to unpack more clothes and move more of my boxes from my apartment with Bonnie and Caroline.

"Hey are you ok to keep unpacking? Tyler has sort of asked me to a Giant's game!" Matt said, grabbing the last box from outside and placing it in the spare bedroom.

"Oh poor me, I'm going to be all alone!" I said pouting.

"Oh, you'll be fine you sook!" Matt said, teasingly. My mouth fell almost to the floor, as my hand left my side and hit Matt on the behind. It was now Matt's mouth that fell to the floor, as I ran into our bedroom, Matt running after me. I felt a pair of strong hands wrap around my waist, turn me around and push me onto the bed, with Matt's body coming down on top of me. "You are so bad!" Matt exclaimed, earning a belly laugh from my lips. Matt and I lay on the bed for a few minutes, Matt's body crushing me, but I enjoyed it immensely despite the slight pain. After a minutes Matt rolled off me, causing both of us to groan in protest. "I'm sorry babe, I have to go!" Matt stated, getting up off the bed and taking his shirt off. Hearing my phone that was stationed on the kitchen table, I left our bedroom and saw Bonnie's name flashing across the screen.

"Hey Bon!" I said, answering the call.

"Hey!" she responded. "How's the moving coming along?"

"Yeah it's going alright, tiring but its coming along!" I stated, breathing out. "How are you guys going?" I asked.

"Elena, you have been gone two days and we are already missing you like crazy!" Bonnie stated. I could here her smiling through the phone and realised just how much I was missing my two best friends as well.

"Well Matt's going out with Tyler to the giant's game, so do you and Caroline want to maybe go out and drink a little?" I asked, hoping desperately for her to say yes.

"We would both love to!" Bonnie exclaimed. "How about, Pegu club in half an hour?" Bonnie asked.

"Sounds good to me, see you guys then!" I replied, hanging up. Putting my phone down and changing into a black dress with gold heels, I grabbed a clutch and my phone and went back into the bedroom to see if Matt was ready.

"Do you want to walk downstairs with me?" I asked Matt.

"Yeah, give me a minute babe!" Matt replied, grabbing his wallet and keys. The two of us left his bedroom and walked to the door, heading down the stairs and ending up outside. I noticed a taxi coming down the street and hailed it. Turning to face Matt once the cab had stopped in front of us, I grabbed his waist and pulled him into a kiss. Our mouths stayed together for a few minutes, until I broke it and told Matt that I wouldn't be home late, which he also agreed to. I got in the cab and told the driver where I wanted to go, pulling away from the curb and away from Matt, the driver drove me to Pegu club. The driver pulled up outside Pegu at eight o'clock, paying my fair and getting out of the cab; I passed the security guard and looked around for my friends. After scanning the bar a few times, I saw both Caroline and Bonnie enjoying a drink.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, walking up to my two best friends.

"Hey!" they both repeated. Caroline nodded her head towards the bar tender and he began mixing a drink and then placed it in front of me.

"So where is Matt going?" Caroline asked me, mid sip of her cocktail.

"He's going to the Giant's game with T-" I stopped before saying the rest of his name.

"Elena its fine, really, I can hear his name," Caroline explained. "In fact, before you go on there is something I have to tell you guys."

"What?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, I sort of found someone!" she exclaimed again.

"What? Found who?" I asked, bewildered that this conversation hadn't come up before.

"Well its someone we already know, he is very charming, HOT! And we are going out tomorrow night, oh and did I mention HOT?" Caroline stated.

"O-M-G! Who is it?" Bonnie asked. My mind was spinning at who this mystery guy who quote was hot times two. I racked my brain at guys we knew from college, but I hadn't seen or heard Caroline being interested in any of them.

"Think about, we knew him. We haven't seen him in ages." Caroline said, trying to help us out.

"Caroline you haven't seen your dad in ages! It could be anyone!" Bonnie exclaimed, causing all three of us to laugh, once again at Caroline's expense.

"Well its safe to say it's not my dad, guys!" Caroline stated, giggling.

"Ok, Caroline we give up! Just tell us already!" I said, whilst taking a sip from my glass.

"Stefan Salvatore!" Caroline stated, causing the three of us to go silent.

"STEFAN!" both Bonnie and I exclaimed in unison.

"Yep, Stefan!" Caroline stated again. "It just sort of happened, I mean we ran into each other, literally that is, at Bergdorf Goodman and he asked me out."

"Wow!" I told Caroline. "That's great, I mean we all knew you had a bit of a crush on him."

"WHAT? I did not!" Caroline exclaimed.

"Ah, yes you did!" I exclaimed again.

"Did not!" Caroline disagreed.

"Did too!" both Bonnie and I said together. "Do you remember," Bonnie began, diving into the past, "when we were in the eighth grade and it was Valentine's Day and you made a card for yourself and you signed Stefan's name at the bottom and told everyone that it was him who gave it to you?"

"I was fourteen and how do you even remember that anyway?" Caroline asked, sending all of us into a fit of laughs. "Ok, so maybe I had a little crush!" Caroline said again.

"Yep, you did, you had a huge crush!" I stated, causing another rain of laughter to fall over us. For the rest of the night Bonnie and I quizzed Caroline on all things Stefan and interrogated her into telling us where she was going with Stefan. After many attempts and all of them being failures we stopped asking Caroline where she was going with Stefan and then interrogated her into telling us what they were both doing at Bergdorf's.

"Well," Caroline began, "I saw these amazing Jimmy Choo's in the window and OMG guys you had to have see them, they were these black coloured pumps with these amazing silver and gold details on the heel and toe. They were incredible, anyway so I went in, because I thought I might as well get them, you know the 'you only live once' thing and so I went in and bought them, much to my credit cards horror. Anyway after purchasing the shoes, I noticed someone looking at this beautiful brightly coloured Hermes scarf and that's when I recognised it was Stefan's hand that was all over my scarf." We all burst out laughing at Caroline's antics and obsession with clothing.

"Caroline, why was Stefan buying a scarf?" Bonnie asked, bewildered.

"Bonnie that was not just any scarf it was a Hermes scarf and you would do well calling it that," Caroline said, jokingly. "Oh, yeah he was buying a scarf for his witch mother's birthday!" Caroline stated, at my defence.

"Well at least it was a nice present!" I said smiling, trying to hide the sudden sadness that had formed in my eyes.

"Yeah, a beautiful present for an awful person!" Bonnie replied. For the rest of the night, the three of us continued talking about some of our fond memories of high school. It got to ten thirty and the three of us decided to go home. We each shared a cab and seeing as Matt's house was first, I gave my friends my share of money and bid them goodnight, getting out of the cab and going up the stairs to Matt's apartment. I unlocked the door to our flat and walked in; a bright light from our bedroom hit me in the eye, as I walked into the longue room.

"Matt?" I called out into the unknown. There was no answer, so I proceeded into our bedroom. Matt's limp body was lying on the bed, his stomach going up and down with each slow breath. I placed my bag down on the floor of our bedroom and took off my clothes, leaving only my underwear and bra. I untied my hair and let it fall against my back. I grabbed the doona that was at the end of the bed, trying not to wake Matt up I pulled the cover, over his body. After washing my teeth and having a drink of tea, I got into bed with Matt, pulling the cover over myself. I then switched off the bedside light and snuggled my body into Matt's, leaning my head against his shoulder. Closing my eyes and thinking of nothing, I let sleep take over my body.

**-Line Break-**

**Damon's POV**

"Andie do I have any other meetings today?" I asked my secretary.

"No, your next client meeting is in two days!" she stated.

"Ok thanks Andie, its three o'clock so if you don't have any more work to do, you can go home early!" I stated, packing my desk up and heading out my office door with Andie closely behind.

"Ok, thankyou Damon," she said again.

"Alright well I'm going to see my father, I'll see you tomorrow!" I stated, heading for the elevator, calling it and getting inside. I took the elevator to my father's floor and got out when it got me there.

"I'll see you tomorrow Stefan," said my father, patting my brother on the back.

"Hey Damon!" Stefan said, walking towards me.

"Hey Stef! Hey Dad! How are you two this lovely afternoon?" I asked, purposefully making my father uncomfortable with the added saccharine.

"Are you ready to go Damon?" my brother asked me.

"Yep! Have a nice night dad, I'll see you at Crown restaurant tomorrow night father, have a wonderful evening" I said with my award winning smile. Stefan and I walked towards the elevator, when my father called out, causing both of us to stop in our tracks.

"You sealed the Texan's!" my father stated, half smiling at me, although it quickly disappeared. "Don't be late tomorrow night Damon, you know how much your mother hates that!" he spoke again. Stefan and I got into the elevator, pressing the G button. We were let out onto the main street and walked to the Palace hotel for a drink. When we got there the two of us ordered a drink from the female bar tender, who deposited our drinks in front of us after mixing them to her satisfaction.

"Why does dad like you so much Stefan?" I asked my brother, desperately wanting to know the answer.

"What are you talking about you idiot, he loves you just as much as he loves me, he probably just finds it harder to express," said Stefan, defending my father.

"Are you kidding? Father hates me and for some unknown reason he loves you. I don't get why and if you can't see that, I think I should be the one calling you the idiot!" I stated, taking a sip from my glass and depositing it back on the bar with a thud.

"Ok, look Damon, maybe because you're the first born, he has greater expectations of you and-" said Stefan, before I interrupted.

"And what? I don't live up to them?" I said, my eyes darting from Stefan's left to right.

"That's not what I meant Damon and you know it. What I was trying to say is that Dad has expectations of you and me being the youngest he doesn't have them, so I can do whatever and there aren't any consequences in his books."

"So what are you saying essentially?" I asked my brother.

"Well, I don't work for the company, yet that is and so throughout your adulthood you have worked for him, you have represented our father's company, so if you stuff up anything, it will ultimately affect dad and the company he developed!" Stefan stated.

"I guess your right brother, but what I still can't comprehend is why he hated me as a kid or as you put it 'found it hard to express'?" I asked my brother.

"Damon I very much doubt that he hated you. I think it's more that he didn't have a lot of time for you, so he found it easier to just be distant!" said Stefan, unfazed by what he had just said to me.

"Well Stefan, father's parenting skills really are a match to beat. I hope you are an equally fantastic father to your children. Then you and father can run around with your kids and your grandkids and have a merry little time," I told my brother, causing a laugh to escape his lips.

"Look Damon, I didn't mean it like that, I just mean that our father is a stubborn and unemotional man and I have to say that I can't believe you would think any different!" Stefan said, taking the last sip of alcohol from his glass and placing it back on the bar. I did the same, savouring the last drop; relishing in its wonderful taste. The two of us got out of our bar stools and left the establishment. "At least you had mother's love!" Stefan stated.

"You mean her overbearing nature!" I corrected my brother, causing both of us to laugh this time. The two of us walked home at six thirty, passing people who were on their way out. When I arrived at my apartment after dropping Stefan off at his, Katherine was cooking our dinner. "I can smell something delicious!" I stated, entering the lounge room and grabbing the morning's newspaper.

"Hey babe! How was your day?" Katherine asked.

"Pretty mediocre! I sealed the Texan clients, or so my father tells me," I told her.

"Oh that's so amazing, congratulations babe! Maybe your father will finally see just how amazing you are," Katherine pondered.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm but it will probably take a lot more than that!" I stated, leaving the lounge room and moving into the kitchen to kiss Katherine, which she returned with an equal amount of passion.

"I love you Damon!" Katherine stated, smiling at me.

I smiled, before repeating her words and leaving the kitchen to go read the day's headlines.

**So thank you to everyone who has been reading and following and reviewing etc. I have gotten a lot of reviews about Damon and Elena's future and obviously without spoiling anything things will happen all in good time. Thankyou again, you guys are amazing!**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

* * *

><p><strong>-Chapter Ten-<strong>

**We're In It For The Long Haul **

**Elena's POV**

Bonnie and I were nicely set on the couch, we had chocolate and a movie, when we heard the door open and Caroline's body emerging.

"Your back really early!" Bonnie stated, "its only eight o'clock!"

"He's a gentlemen!" Caroline breathed out, closing the door and pushing her back against the wall, sinking against it.

"So, how was it? What did you two get up to? And why are you back at such an ungodly hour?" I asked, smirking.

"It was amazing, we went to the Oak room, and we ate and talked about absolutely everything. We are back so early because he was meeting his family to celebrate his mom's birthday," said Caroline.

"His whole family?" I asked, trying to seem less interested than I was.

"Yeah, he said Damon would be there, I mean he is her son!" Caroline stated.

"True, I was just curious," I said, taking a piece of chocolate from the block Bonnie and I were sharing.

"So what was so gentlemeny about him?" Bonnie asked Caroline.

"Well," Caroline began, "there was no kiss goodnight or even a peck on the cheek, he just walked me home and organised to meet me tomorrow night for dinner," Caroline said, breathing out yet another held breath.

"Well someone isn't looking forward to it!" Bonnie stated, teasingly.

"I'm not that excited!" Caroline stated, trying to cover up her excitement by pushing her lips together to form a line. "I'm going for a shower!" Caroline stated, pushing her body off the door and walking into her room. Bonnie and I looked at each other after ten minutes of not hearing the shower start.

"What are you doing in there?" Bonnie called out, whilst I got up and slowly opened Caroline's bedroom door to find her putting dresses against her body and comparing them in the mirror.

"Caroline," I teased opening her bedroom door fully.

"Um, nothing!" she said throwing the dress she was holding onto the bed and spinning around one hundred and eighty degrees to face me.

"That doesn't look like nothing," Bonnie said, joining me at Caroline's door.

"Well that's what it was, nothing!" Caroline said, trying not to look so suspicious by siting down on her bed and placing her hands in her lap.

"You were picking out outfits for tomorrow night, to a date you said you weren't excited, or remotely interested in, seems Caroline has been telling some lies," Bonnie said, the two of us running into Caroline's room and tackling her onto her bed. The three of us remained on top of Caroline, laughing at Caroline's expense.

"So was he everything you expected?" I asked Caroline, who gave me mooneyes.

"He was everything I expected and more. He was just like I remembered him, polite, hot, athletic, smart, funny and wonderful.

"Wow, so you already know he's athletic," Bonnie said coyly.

"We didn't have sex so you know, he was telling me about how he is apart of a lacrosse team at Columbia and he also runs every morning in Central park," Caroline said, recalling the details of her night with Stefan.

"Is that why you have your running gear on the bed over here?" I asked, trying to get a response out of her.

"I thought it would be good for me to continue exercising, you know getting fit again, like we all were in high school," Caroline said.

"Hahah, nice try!" I deadpanned. Caroline got up off the bed and went into the bathroom to have the shower she said she was having earlier. Bonnie and I went back into the lounge room and continued watching the movie that we had paused. For the rest of the night the three of us watched the movie on TV and ate chocolate.

The next morning, I got up and got dressed for the day I had ahead. I didn't have any classes today; instead I had an important appointment with the psychologists that I had booked over a year a year ago, but could never bring myself to go. Whenever I had an appointment the psychologists would text me the day before to remind me, but somehow this mechanism in my mind told me to cancel and that's exactly what I would do. Although I had only been to one appointment and it was one of the worst appointments that I had ever been to. Talking about my feelings, how I felt about loosing my baby and about loosing Damon. The first appointment that I went to was well over a year ago. I had been at Columbia and living in the city for half a year, although Matt and I were dating back then, I still had so many unresolved feelings about loosing Damon and loosing the baby. Last night both Caroline and Bonnie convinced me that I should go to the appointment that I had scheduled a month ago. So that's what I was doing, I was going to my appointment whether I liked it or not. I grabbed my keys and wallet and headed out of my old apartment that I shared with my two best friends. Heading out the door, I walked down the staircase that led to the outside world. Stepping out onto 73rd street I made my way down to Midtown to the building my psychologist was practising in. I arrived at the building with ten minutes to spare. Going into the lift and pressing level five, the lift took me up to my psychologist level. When I entered her practice, a secretary greeted me, offering me water and telling me to take a seat in the waiting room. I did as I was told and after ten minutes of reading a magazine that I wasn't very much interested in, my psychologist came out of her office and called my name.

"How are you Elena?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"I'm doing pretty well," I answered.

"Come in and take a seat on the couch," Dr Vreeland said, motioning her hand towards the couch opposite her swivel chair. She picked up her note pad and what looked to be my file; which looked very empty, due to the fact I had missed every one of my fifteen appointments scheduled except one. "So by the looks of your file, shall we begin where we ended last time?" she asked, rather kindly.

"I guess," I said in reply.

"So last time we spoke you had just started at Columbia and just moved into your apartment that you share with your friends and you seemed still very attached to the memories of loosing your child and the baby's father, which is all completely understandable. I nodded my head as a way of answering. "So Elena, from your viewpoint what is the problem?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"What do you mean the problem?" I reiterated.

"Well put it this way, you are here for a reason and although we both already know the reason, in your opinion how do you define it? How do you see the problem?" she asked again.

"I guess I see the problem as being something that probably will never be resolved. I see it as being something that will never be resolved unless I get them back, if that makes sense?" I asked Dr Vreeland. She nodded her head at me in response and began jotting down what I had told her on her notepad. "I mean I don't think this-" I paused, trying to find the right words, "I don't really know how to say it, but this I don't know isolation in my mind probably won't be resolved until I can get passed it. And I don't really know how I am going to get passed it; I mean it was one of the worst ordeals I have been through and I don't know if I will ever get passed it." I stopped, looking into Dr Vreeland's eyes and asked, "How do I get passed it?"

Dr Vreeland, returned my stare and tapped the pen a few times on the pad and says, "Elena, it is up to you to get passed this. You have people that care about you and you have me, you have family and friends, but essentially if you want to get passed this, you will have to help yourself get through this. And that is something you ultimately have to do on your own."

I nodded my head at her, "but I don't know how! I don't, I have no idea how I am going to do that!" I was almost pleading with her to give me answers.

"Elena, tell me what you are doing now that you are happy with and that is helping you through the experience that you went through?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"I um, saw my daughter," I said softly.

"So you met your daughter, tell me about that!" Dr Vreeland asked.

"Well her name is Thea and she will be 15 months in a few weeks. She's beautiful, really beautiful and full of joy and she's always laughing. She has these piercing blue eyes like her father's and her hair is like my mother's was. I have only met her twice and at both of those times I had never felt such a strong connection, except when I was with Damon. I don't know how to explain her other than she's perfect." I told Dr Vreeland, who was scribbling something down onto her notepad.

"This is very good Elena, you have come a long way. You have described your daughter, but now tell me what it was like meeting her, what did you feel? How did she make you feel? How did leaving the adoption agency make you feel?" Asked Dr Vreeland.

"Well," I began, "seeing my daughter again, I guess made me feel alone again. Like in someway I felt as though I was reliving giving her up. It was as if I was back in the hospital, signing the adoption papers." I paused thinking about the other parts of my life where I felt utterly alone. "It was like when I left Damon, when I was in the early stages of my pregnancy and having absolutely know one to go through it with me. That feeling was on replay when I got into my car and drove away from the adoption agency after seeing Thea for the last time. Both of those memories just continuously played on a loop and there was no escaping it. I sat in the car for ages, crying and reliving those memories, until I found a slight eaze and drove away."

"And Elena, what was that eaze? What allowed you to drive away from the adoption agency, away from your daughter?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"Thinking about my family, thinking about-" I stopped mid sentence, unable to admit what it was that pushed me to drive away from the adoption agency.

"Go on!" Dr Vreeland insisted, nodding at me to continue, whilst tapping her

"I thought about Damon and how leaving him was such a stupid mistake and that despite my being pushed into doing it, it was ultimately my fault and not his or his mothers. When my parents died, Damon was there to help me, he picked me up and made me realise how many people loved me, despite my parent's no longer being in my life." I said.

"So Damon was like a support system?" Dr Vreeland reiterated.

"He wasn't only that, he was someone I could trust, someone that I could lean on, but someone I could love and care for and he could do the same for me." I rephrased.

"So Damon was someone that you could love and they would do the same? Damon was like family to you?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"I don't know if I would call him family, I guess he was my-" I paused again, unable to express what I meant. "Damon was my soulmate. He was sort of thrust into my life at the best time; it was at the time that I needed someone more than anything. And sitting in that car outside the adoption agency made me realise that Damon was just that, he was my soulmate and I ruined everything!" I stated, a few lose tears slipping from my eyes and rolling down my cheeks.

"Here!" Dr Vreeland said, passing a tissue box to me and then placing it back on the coffee table next to her once I had picked one up. Gently dabbing the tissue to my eyes a few times over, Dr Vreeland began her questioning once again. "Elena tell me what leaving Damon made you aware of. You have already told me it made you feel lonely and isolated, but did it make you aware of anything?"

"It made me more aware of myself in some sense. I don't know how to explain it but when I left Damon and moved to Atlanta I felt like I was not in control of my life and I was aware of it." I said.

"So you felt as though leaving Damon was not only extinguishing a piece of him but a piece of yourself?" the doctor asked me.

"Yeah, losing Damon, made me lose myself." I said, agreeing with Dr Vreeland.

"I see," she said nodding her head and writing down my answers on her page. "Elena, can you tell me if you feel somewhat yourself now?" said Dr Vreeland.

"What do you mean?" I asked, unsure of what the doctor was asking me.

"I mean, living in New York, starting over in a new relationship and starting college, does it feel you? Or does it feel strained or forced?" she asked again.

"In some way's it does, feeling forced that is. Getting a fresh start in a new city that I was unfamiliar with, gave me the chance to start over and recreate myself. Living in Mystic Falls was quite hard, because everyone knows who you are, but in New York there are so many people that my problems are irrelevant. Being in a new relationship with Matt has made me feel refreshed and rejuvenated, not in the sense that he is a juice cleanse, more in the sense that being with Matt gives me the chance to start a new life, with someone who doesn't know me. But it also feels forced in some way, because mine and Damon's relationship was very serious and it was at a point in my life when I was young and vulnerable and he made such a great impact on me; a positive impact that is. Damon made sacrifices in his life for me and I can't help but feel guilty because I left him and then I thrust myself into a new relationship, which is becoming quite serious," I told Dr Vreeland.

"Is that a good thing Elena? Does being in this new relationship with Matt feel good?" asked Dr Vreeland.

"It does and it doesn't. Being with Matt feels light and good, but it also feels strange and uncertain," I said.

"Uncertain?" she asked, questioning my choice of word.

"It feels like it has no future, I don't see Matt and I really progressing very far into the future. I see us being together for some time, but not like I could see Damon and I. With Damon, I could see us being together until the end, until our end. But I don't feel like that with Matt and I feel guilty because what if he see's it going far and he thinks I reciprocate those feelings, but truthfully I don't." I said.

"I see, does Matt know about Damon or about Thea?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"Not in the strictest sense. Matt has asked about my exes and although there was only Damon, I haven't really told him much about what he was like. All that Matt knows is that Damon is someone that I was very serious with and that we broke up."

"Ok," she said scribbling some more answers on the notepad. "But Matt does not know about Thea?" she asked.

"No, I haven't told him. Talking about Damon and I and how we broke up was hard enough. But telling him the real reason, the fact hat I had a daughter and that I selfishly gave her up is not something that I think I can relive with Matt."

"Elena, you must know that when you gave Thea up for adoption, you did that for her benefit, there was nothing selfish about it. Thea has been adopted by a wonderful couple that will care and look after her and will give her a great deal of love and support. This is something you should be proud of, it isn't selfish to want Thea to have a better life, one that you might not have been able to give her!" stated Dr Vreeland.

"I guess your right, giving away my daughter was something that I had to do. I could never have looked after her or given her what she needed." I replied.

"That's right Elena, you have to believe in yourself and remember that what you did was for the benefit of your daughter and you have ultimately given her an amazing life!" Dr Vreeland stated. "Elena today has been very productive, you have come such a long way. This is technically your second visit and you have made such a great improvement, I believe that with more visits you will be able to open up more about Damon and about how you truly feel about your daughter. I also believe," Dr Vreeland said, continuously reading over the notes that she had gathered throughout our session. "Elena I believe that over time when you start to feel more comfortable and forthright with Matt, that you will be able to tell him about your past!"

"That's what I hope to achieve in time!" I stated. Dr Vreeland and I stood up from our streets, as she ushered me out the door. The receptionist was typing something on her computer, whilst a blonde woman waited where I had been waiting, reading a fashion magazine. Dr Vreeland bid me farewell and informed the receptionist of my next appointment. Writing the date in my diary and circling it a few times to remember, I left the suite and went into the lift, pressing the ground level button and walking out onto the street.

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's POV<strong>

"STEFAN!" I yelled for the third time. "Are you ready? We are meant to be there in ten minutes!" I stated, walking into the spare bedroom that Stefan had been staying in for the past day.

"I'm coming! For god sake, why are you in such a rush, you are always late?" Stefan asked, adjusting his tie.

"Our father is going to kill me if we are late and knowing him he will think its all my fault and you were the poor younger brother who has been in criminalised by the notorious dark Damon." I said, somewhat quoting my father.

"I don't think running late is a crime, even on our father's standards!" Stefan stated, putting his tux on and leaving his bedroom.

"So are you done?" I asked Stefan again.

"Yes, yes I'm done!" Stefan said, walking into the kitchen to meet me. The two of us walked to the elevator, calling for the elevator and pressing the ground level with my wallet and house keys in hand. Stefan and I walked out onto the busy streets, my doorman hailing us a taxi and bidding us a goodnight. The two of us got in the back of the cab and told the driver our directions. The taxi turned into central park and made its way across the park onto 5th avenue, driving up until we got to east 81st street. Once we arrived outside, we payed our fare and got out of the taxi, making our way into the busy restaurant. A waiter greeted us and led us to our table where both our mother and father were already seated; immersed in conversation.

"Oh Damon, my darling!" my mother exclaimed, getting up out of her seat and coming towards me and wrapping her arms around me.

"Mum!" I exclaimed, embracing her warmth, "happy birthday!"

"Thankyou, my son!" my mother replied, her arms disentangling from my form and walking over to my brother to do the same. My father, nodded his head at me as if to say hello, but his manner came across as rather disinterested when he sat back down after patting my brother on the back. "So, Damon my darling," my mother started, "how has work been?"

"Busy!" I stated, "yeah dad has me on quite the busy schedule."

"Would you like to order some drinks to start?" our waiter asked. Once the four of us had ordered, the waiter left to go make our drinks.

"Your father tells me that the firm landed the Texan clients, how did your presentation go?" my mother asked, leaning back so that the waiter who was standing behind us could deposit my mother's wine and the rest of our drinks in front of us.

"It went really well, at least I think it did," I told my mother. "But you should probably ask father, his account is probably much more reliable!" I stated, taking a gulp of wine from my glass.

"Giuseppe, tell me how my son did in the meeting!" my mother stated, she too taking a sip of her champagne.

"He was successful in landing the client!" my father stated calmly, whilst calling the waiter over to our table. "I think we're ready to order now," my father said, reading aloud what he intended to eat. The waiter left once each of us had ordered.

"Is that it Giuseppe? Come on tell me how he is doing, I haven't heard anything, Damon doesn't tell me, Stefan doesn't tell me, heck we live together and you haven't told me how our son is doing. So tell me now what my son is up to? He went to college to study this and I still don't know of his progress!" stated my mother, who was now a quarter of the way through her champagne.

"He's doing well, considering the mess he was in when he first started!" stated my father.

"Wow, so that's what a compliment sounds like, funny I have never heard one before, at least not from you!" I stated, the waiter depositing our food in front of us.

"I think that's enough about Damon, why don't we turn our attention to mom who is celebrating her birthday tonight?" said my brother, who had picked up on the heavy cloud of tension that was forming around the table.

"Why don't you open your presents mom?" I asked. My mother nodded her head at me and pulled out the present that Stefan had gotten her. She unwrapped the girft and opened the black box, inside was a brightly coloured, silk Hermes scarf, which she stared at in awe.

"Oh thankyou my boy!" my mother exclaimed, getting out of her chair and kissing Stefan on the head, who was sitting opposite her.

"You're welcome mom!" Stefan exclaimed, as my mother went and sat back down in her chair. My mother got out the gift that I had gotten her, unlacing the ribbons and taking apart the wrapping paper, she held the box in her hands. My mother opened the medium sized black box and studied the contents. Inside was a scrapbook, which my mother pulled out; her initials were engraved on the front, which she traced with her fingers. Her mouth slightly fell when she turned the front page, a photo of my mother as a young girl took up the page.

"It's a scrapbook that chronicles each of our lives. This is the first one, which is about you mom and the other three you will receive at your next three birthdays!" I stated proudly of my innovative idea.

"Oh Damon its beautiful!" my mother stated, taking my hand and kissing it, then gently putting it back on the table. "I can't believe you did all of this and thought of this amazing idea!" she exclaimed again.

"Well I didn't make it, I just gathered all the photos, knick-knacks, history etc. and then had it engraved and made into a scrapbook. It took a while for the scrapbook maker to do it, but it turned out just the way I had hoped!" I stated. Our dinner continued to move along smoothly, the cloud of tension slightly evaporated, although was still somewhat noticeable. Throughout the dinner, the four of us talked about my mother and her youth and how our childhood memories of her. Once we had finished our meals and moved onto dessert, my mother began the conversation about Katherine and when she would meet her.

"Damon, you have known this girl for years and I still have not met her!" my mother said, pleading with me to meet her.

"Mom I want you to meet her, its just that she travels quite often and when she's here she is really busy. I will ask her when she is free and we will go out then!" I stated, although happy that one of my parents was taking an interest in my relationship.

"Well I am looking forward to it, I will take the two of you to brunch and I will meet my son's future wife!" she stated proudly.

"Future wife!" I stated, bewildered by her words. "Mom I haven't considered marrying her yet, so where are you getting these ideas from?"

"I'm sure you will marry her one day, I have not met her yet but I have heard so much about her and she sounds wonderful. She is nothing like that Elena that you were obsessed with!" said my mother quite coldly.

I rolled my eyes at my mother's words, "mom I wasn't obsessed with her, I was in love with her!" I stated.

"Oh Damon, she was a terrible person, she left you, she just packed up and left without hardly a reason. You are just lucky that you met Katherine when you did and now look how happy you are!" my mother stated.

"She had her reasons mom and despite me not knowing what they are exactly, Elena was not a terrible person, in fact she was quite the opposite!" I stated, getting somewhat irritated, that it was my mother who was now saying such things my father would. The only difference between my parents is that despite my father caring for me his focus was on himself, whereas my mother cared for me unconditionally and would do anything for her children, even if that meant hurting others or herself. The four of us stopped talking about my love life and about Elena and Katherine and instead we turned our conversation to our home in the Hamptons that my mother was refurbishing. Stefan and I had not been to our house in the Hamptons for quite a few years. I had promised Elena that I would take her, but once we broke up I completely forgot that our house in the Hamptons existed and it was not until my mother brought up the fact that she was re-doing the interior that I thought I should probably take a visit. Once the four of us had finished our desserts, my father ordered the bill and payed, whilst my mother, Stefan and I walked out to my father's town car that was parked outside the restaurant. Stefan and I said goodnight to our mother and did the same when our father came out of the restaurant. My father and mother drove away in their towncar whilst Stefan and I got in a taxi, which took us back to my apartment. Once the two of us got upstairs into my apartment, I declared that I was going to bed. Stefan did the same, bidding me a goodnight and entering the guest bedroom. When I got into the bedroom I shared with Katherine, I was puzzled when I found her asleep on her side of the bed. I got undressed and put on my pyjama bottoms, opting to stay shirtless. I pulled back the covers on my side of the bed and lay under them. Katherine's body did not move a muscle, except for the continuous up and down motion of her stomach. She usually awoke when she hears me come inside, but it was an indication that she must have been very tired.

I lay in the bed staring up at the ceiling, thinking about what my mother had said about Elena. Despite myself, partly agreeing with what she said, there was no way that what my mother said about Elena being selfish was true and it pained me to hear someone, especially my mother talk of her that way. It didn't take my body long to drift off to sleep, as I became settled in the warmth of the sheets.

**So thank you to everyone who has been reading and following and reviewing etc. **


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, I am not that talented.

**-Chapter Eleven-**

**The Things We Do For Love**

**Elena's POV**

"So Elena, how is your progression with Matt coming along?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"Its going ok I guess, if you're asking whether or not I have told him about Damon or about Thea, then no, although I texted him this morning to tell him that there is something I had to tell him!" I stated.

"And what is it that you have to tell him?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"Well I was going to tell him about Damon, to begin with and then when I gain more courage I will tell him about Thea!" I stated.

"Well that's great Elena. You have made such a great improvement, these last two sessions have gone really well," Dr Vreeland said, looking down at her notepad.

"Thankyou," I replied, happily.

"You deserve it Elena, you truly do. Now moving away from Damon and from Thea, how is college going?" Dr Vreeland asked.

"Its going well, I have been doing a lot of study at the moment, with exams coming up, which has given me a great deal to do!" I stated, wearily.

"That's good, so it's provided you with a distraction?" she reiterated.

"Yeah it has, it means I don't have to think a lot about what happened, which is good," I said.

"It is," Dr Vreeland said, agreeing with me.

"Matt and I have quite a solid relationship and I think that we are really trying to make it work!" I stated happily.

"Well that's great news Elena!" Dr Vreeland stated. Dr Vreeland and I finished up the relatively short appointment. I walked out of the office and stopped at a café to get a coffee and to text Matt as to his whereabouts. Matt was quick to reply and informed me that he was on his way to the café. It didn't take long for Matt to get there and when he did the two of us immediately ordered more coffee and lunch.

"So Elena, why have you asked me to lunch today?" Matt asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"What makes you think I need a reason? Can't I just take my wonderful boyfriend out to lunch?" I asked coyly.

"Well you usually don't text me saying, hey Matt, um do you think you would um like to maybe, I don't know meet me for lunch, I have to ah ask you something." Matt said reciting my words exactly.

"Well, I have been going to therapy a few days a week, to deal with some of the things in my past!" I stated, not taking my eyes of my coffee.

"What is the therapy for?" Matt asked, his handing now resting on mine.

"There are a few things about my past that I have yet to tell you and I must worn you that I can't tell you them all in one go, I have to do it in my own time!" I sated.

"Elena, you don't have to tell me if it's too hard!" Matt stated.

"I want to, I need to, if not for you then for myself," I said.

"When I was sixteen, my parent's picked me up from a party that I was attending and on our way home, a thick fog came over the car and my father couldn't see the road very clearly and we hit the side of the bridge on the way into town. I obviously lived but both my mom and my dad were killed instantly," I said.

"Oh Elena, I'm so sorry, I had no idea!" Matt stated, his hand rubbing up and down my arm.

"Its fine, it happened a long time ago and I have come to accept it. I never told you because it was something in my past that I didn't really wish to share with people, but seeing as we are together and our relationship has progressed I really just wanted to tell you."

"Well thankyou for telling me, I really appreciate it and if you ever need to tell me anything else about your past, please know that you can," Matt said, his hand never leaving my arm. Matt and I left the café once we had finished our meals. I headed to Columbia where I had one of my classes. Matt went back to our apartment, informing me that he was going out with a few of his friends tonight. Instead of taking Matt up on the offer to go with him, I instead called Bonnie and Caroline who agreed to go out for drinks. I arrived at Columbia just in time for my class. I went into the lecture hall and sat in the seat Caroline had reserved next to her. She had all of her books and pens on her desk and handed me mine when I sat down. Our professor came into the room a few minutes after I arrived. His TA handed us all back our assignments that we had completed the previous week. I glanced down at my paper and saw the letter **A** with a red circle around it. I smiled, happy with my accomplishment, as I thought I had rushed the assignment.

"What did you get?" Caroline asked, peering over at my paper.

"A" I replied, "what about you?"

"OMG good job Elena, that assignment was really difficult!" Caroline stated. She held up her paper at me, showing me she received an A minus.

"Good job!" I replied. Our professor began talking about how we all went. He was impressed by all of our improvements and told us whose work we was the most astounded by.

"Jacob your work was excellent; every point was clear and outstanding!" said the professor, regarding one of the smartest students in our class. Caroline rolled her eyes, every time the professor began complementing Jacob; whom she clearly envied. Caroline didn't however roll her eyes when the professor began applauding my work and telling the class that he had passed it onto a number of different professors to admire. Caroline slapped me on the arm; showing me just how impressed she was. Once our class was over Caroline and I walked back to her apartment, where Bonnie was dressed and ready.

"How was school?" Bonnie asked as I went and sat on their couch.

"It was alright, I guess," I replied.

"Alright?" Caroline questioned, "Elena got an A and our professor couldn't stop talking about her amazing work!" Caroline stated.

"Good work Elena!" Bonnie stated congratulating me. I smiled as a thankyou and got up off the couch to walk out with my two best friends. The three of us walked downstairs to the bottom of their apartment to hail a cab. I told the driver to drive us to Milk and Honey; a bar in Soho that the three of us were dying to try. Once arriving at the bar the three of us found a vacant spot at the bar. Caroline sat in the middle, with Bonnie and I at both her sides.

"How did your date go with Stefan?" I asked Caroline.

"Isn't this date number five?" Bonnie questioned.

"Six, actually, but whose counting?" Caroline said clearing her throat. "It went really well! We went to this restaurant in Midtown and it was so delicious and then we went to a movie and he walked me home."

"All this walking you home Care, but you never invite him in. You didn't wait that long with Tyler!" I stated.

"Well I see my relationship with Stefan going longer than I saw Tyler and I's relationship. With Stefan I actually see a future, I don't see an expiry date, plus Bonnie is always home and Stefan doesn't have a home at the moment. I guess we are both just going to have to be patient!" Caroline stated, taking a sip of the drink that had just been placed in front of her.

"Is there going to be another date?" I asked.

"Yes we are going out tomorrow night actually, he's taking me to see this show at the state theatre," said Caroline.

"Ohhhhhhhh that sound's interesting, maybe a quickie during intermission," said Bonnie coyly.

"Hahah, nice try Bonnie!" Caroline replied, fake laughing.

"What is Stefan actually doing?" I asked Caroline.

"He's studying architecture at the moment," Caroline said.

"He's probably designing your family home as we speak!" Bonnie stated, causing the three of us to break out into a fit of laughter.

**-Line Break-**

**Damon's POV**

"Katherine are you almost ready?" I asked.

"Almost!" Katherine shouted back from our bedroom. I had just finished packing the food that we had prepared and was now packing the wine and other drinks we were taking to my family's hose in the Hamptons. We would only be gone for three nights and had only packed the essentials. Once packing the wine in the cooler bag, I checked the time on the clock on the wall and noticed we were meant to be on the road ten minutes ago to get to our destination at lunchtime. Leaving the kitchen, I went into our bedroom to see whether or not Katherine was done. My eyes widened at the amount of suitcases she had on the bed.

"Katherine, we are only going for four days!" I stated, bewildered by the vast amounts of clothes she must have packed.

"Oh Damon, its only three suitcases and they have shoes, toiletries, clothes, towels and electronics!" she stated, zipping up the last suitcase.

"I will never understand why women need to pack this much stuff!" I stated. Katherine grabbed the three suitcases that were on the bed and rolled them out of the bedroom, past the lounge and kitchen and placing them outside the lift.

"And I will never understand how men can have so few things to pack!" Katherine stated, calling the elevator and getting in once it reached our level. Katherine got in the elevator and held the doors open for me so I could wheel in my suitcase. Once the two of us had everything in the lift we took the elevator down to the lower car park, where we packed my range rover and got in the car. Driving out of the 15 Central Park West car park, we followed the GPS directions to my family's holiday house. It took us just under two hours to get to my mother's place, usually a lot longer due to the heavy flow of traffic, leaving New York at this time of the year.

Katherine and I pulled into the winding driveway of my parent's holiday house and got out of the car. My mother was at the front of the house waiting for us and waved as we got out of the car. "Hello," my mother said, her white dress blowing in the wind.

"Hey mom!" I replied, coming towards her with my arms outstretched and bringing her into my embrace. Katherine came and stood next to me and at the same time my mother and I pulled away from each other's embrace. "Mom I would like you to meet Katherine," I said, motioning my hand to my girlfriend, "and Katherine I would like you to meet my mother," I said motioning my other hand to my mother.

"Its so wonderful to meet you!" Katherine said, wrapping her arms around my mother.

"I have heard so much about you Katherine!" my mother stated; the two of them, staying in each other's embrace for a short time, before they pulled away from each other and my mother ushered Katherine into our holiday house. I went back to the car and unloaded our bags, placing them at the front door when my father came and unexpectedly intercepted me.

"Hello son," said my father.

"Hi dad!" I said rather uninterested in anything other than the pleasantries he had to say.

"Did you get the briefs that my assistant sent over? The one's regarding the new deal that we will close with the Zeckendorf's?" my father asked, picking up two suitcases and bringing them inside.

"Yes I have!" I stated, "my secretary will prep me on Monday and I will start the presentation on Tuesday," I said, grabbing the last suitcase and brining it inside, my father following close behind me.

"Well good then and I hope you will seal them like you did the Texans!" my father stated. When I walked into the kitchen, having put our bags in the hallway I was overtaken by a strong smell that reminded me of my childhood.

"What are you cooking?" I asked my mother, who was posted at the kitchen bench chopping up herbs.

"I am teaching Katherine how to make your favourite pasta sauce!" my mother stated.

"Katherine is cooking?" I asked, looking over to Katherine, who was stirring pasta in a pot.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Katherine asked.

"Yes, yes it is!" I replied, mockingly. For the rest of the night my mother taught Katherine how to make one of my favourite meals, which we then ate.

"So Katherine," my mother began, "tell me what you have in store for my son?"

"In store?" Katherine questioned.

"Well Damon refuses to tell me anything about yours and Damon's personal life, but I would love to know if you two are planning for the future," my mother said, whilst taking another mouthful from her plate.

"Well Damon and I don't talk about the future per se, but we have spoken about where we would like to eventually wind up and what the two of us would love to ultimately settle down and do!" Katherine stated.

"Settle down?" my mother questioned, "do I hear grandchildren in the midst?" she asked. Both Katherine and I awkwardly looked at one another and laughed at my mother's desperate approach to have a grandchild.

"Mom stop hassling Katherine!" I stated.

"I just want to know if the two of you are planning on thinking about your future. Damon you're not getting any younger and you are at a point in your life when you can have children and I just want the two of you to be happy!" my mother stated.

"Mom you really need to not be so invested in my life!" I stated, becoming quite irritated with my mother's antics.

"Well I have only known Katherine these short few hours and I love her already, she is such a great woman Damon, so don't lose her!" said my mother.

"Don't worry Mrs. Salvatore, Damon won't lose me!" Katherine stated, placing her warm hand on top of mine.

"Well good, because Katherine is a much better fit for you than that Elena!" stated my mother.

"Mom please stop, ok?" I said in a raised tone, whilst getting up out of my seat and walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my bedroom. I sat on the edge of my bed, starring down at my hands that were in my lap. I grabbed my phone that was in the back pocket of my jeans. I flicked through my contacts looking for just one. I slid my index finger down the screen of my phone until I got to the contacts that started with E. I still had her phone number, if it was still the same one. I could never bring myself to delete Elena's number because if I did, it felt even more final. Deleting the only connection I had left to Elena was something I didn't want to think about. I couldn't erase the only slither of hope I had to reunite with Elena, so instead of deleting the last shred of hope I pressed the call button next to Elena's name. The phone immediately started dialling, one ring, two rings, three rings.

**Sorry I haven't updated in a little while, I jus have been really busy with my work. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and following and reviewing etc. **


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